Yeast Infection - Treatment

Garlic - updated: 14 April 2009

In vitro antimicrobial properties of aqueous garlic extract against multidrug-resistant bacteria and Candida species from Nigeria

J Med Food. 2004 Fall;7(3):327-33

Iwalokun BA, Ogunledun A, Ogbolu DO, Bamiro SB, Jimi-Omojola J.

The antimicrobial effects of aqueous garlic extract (AGE) against 133 multidrug-resistant gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial isolates, including Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Haemophilus influenzae, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Shigella spp., and Proteus spp., and against 10 Candida spp. were studied. Antibacterial activity of AGE by well-diffusion and macrobroth dilution method was characterized by inhibition zones of 20.2-22.7 mm for gram-positives and 19.8-24.5 mm for gram-negatives and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranges of 15.6-48.3 mg/mL and 22.9-37.2 mg/mL, respectively. With the exception of P. aeruginosa, the observed disparity in MIC values at 24 and 48 hours was not significant (P >.05) in these isolates. The anticandidal effect of AGE resulted in a growth inhibition zone of 27.4 +/- 3.7 mm with no significant difference (P >.05) in MIC values at 24 and 48 hours, respectively. Minimum fungicidal concentrations were found to be 14.9 and 15.5 mg/mL, respectively, at these incubation periods. Further analysis revealed the antimicrobial efficacy of AGE to be dose and time dependent, producing five distinct time-kill profiles among the isolates tested. The results of this study support the use of garlic in health products and herbal remedies in Nigeria

Publication Types:

• Study

Antimicrobial properties of allicin from garlic

Microbes Infect. 1999 Feb;1(2):125-9

Ankri S, Mirelman D.

Allicin, one of the active principles of freshly crushed garlic homogenates, has a variety of antimicrobial activities. Allicin in its pure form was found to exhibit i) antibacterial activity against a wide range of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, including multidrug-resistant enterotoxicogenic strains of Escherichia coli; ii) antifungal activity, particularly against Candida albicans; iii) antiparasitic activity, including some major human intestinal protozoan parasites such as Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia; and iv) antiviral activity. The main antimicrobial effect of allicin is due to its chemical reaction with thiol groups of various enzymes, e.g. alcohol dehydrogenase, thioredoxin reductase, and RNA polymerase, which can affect essential metabolism of cysteine proteinase activity involved in the virulence of E. histolytica

Publication Types:

• Review

Antimicrobial properties of Allium sativum (garlic).

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2001 Oct;57(3):282-6

Harris JC, Cottrell SL, Plummer S, Lloyd D.

Although garlic has been used for its medicinal properties for thousands of years, investigations into its mode of action are relatively recent. Garlic has a wide spectrum of actions; not only is it antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antiprotozoal, but it also has beneficial effects on the cardiovascular and immune systems. Resurgence in the use of natural herbal alternatives has brought the use of medicinal plants to the forefront of pharmacological investigations, and many new drugs are being discovered. This review aims to address the historical use of garlic and its sulfur chemistry, and to provide a basis for further research into its antimicrobial prope

Publication Types:

• Review

An overview of the antifungal properties of allicin and its breakdown products--the possibility of a safe and effective antifungal prophylactic

Mycoses. 2005 Mar;48(2):95-100

Davis SR.

Reports about the safe and successful intravenous (i.v.) use of garlic derivatives in China against invasive fungal infections have been made, but little has been done to seriously investigate the in vivo use of these derivatives in the West. Laboratories have demonstrated impressive in vitro MICs using allitridium, one of these derivatives, against a range of medically important fungi. In addition, it has been demonstrated that allitridium shows in vitro synergy with amphotericin B, one of the main i.v. antifungal agents. Some of the breakdown products of allicin, the main parent antifungal compound in garlic, have been investigated for their general antimicrobial, anticancer and anticholesterol properties, and it appears that there is a common mode of action that underlies these activities. It appears that these small molecules have the ability to cross cell membranes and combine with sulfur-containing molecular groups in amino acids and proteins, thus interfering with cell metabolism. It has been suggested that the reason human cells are not poisoned by allicin derivatives is that they contain glutathione, a sulfur-containing amino acid that combines with the allicin derivative, thus preventing cell damage. In addition to their biochemical mechanism, these derivatives appear to stimulate cellular immunity, an important ability lacking in conventional antifungal chemotherapy. These derivatives appear to be safe, cheap, wide-spectrum and immunostimulatory, as well as possibly synergistic with conventional antifungal therapy, making them ideal candidates for investigation into their use as prophylactic antifungal agents.

Publication Types:

• Review

Garlic (Allium sativum) as an anti-Candida agent: a comparison of the efficacy of fresh garlic and freeze-dried extracts

J. Appl Microbiol. 2002;93(3):398-405

Lemar KM, Turner MP, Lloyd D.

AIMS: To determine the effects of fresh and freeze-dried extracts of Allium sativum on the physiology and morphology of Candida albicans. METHODS AND RESULTS: Inhibition of growth in glucose-yeast extract-peptone was measured using a multiwell plate reader. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy investigations indicated loss of structural integrity. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of extracts was employed to separate and quantify putative inhibitory sulphur-containing components. CONCLUSIONS: Fresh garlic extract has a greater efficacy than garlic powder extract as indicated both by its effects on morphology and inhibition of growth. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen C. albicans is sensitive to garlic; resistance to the broad spectrum of active principles present is unlikely so that its anticandidal effects may provide an important alternative route to chemotherapy.

Publication Types:

• Study

Inhibition of Candida adhesion to buccal epithelial cells by an aqueous extract of Allium sativum (garlic)

J Appl Bacteriol. 1990 Feb;68(2):163-9

Ghannoum MA.

The effect of pre-incubation of either Candida or buccal epithelial cells (BEC) with different concentrations of aqueous garlic extract (AGE) was investigated, as well as the effect of mouth rinse with AGE on the adhesion of yeast to BEC. Adhesion of Candida spp. to BEC was significantly reduced after both short and long time exposure of yeast to AGE. A similar inhibition of adherence was observed upon preincubation of BEC with AGE. The adherence-inhibition activity of AGE treatment was antagonized by thiols such as L-cysteine, glutathione and 2-mercaptoethanol. In addition, germ-tube formation was suppressed when C. albicans cells were pretreated with AGE. There was a significant reduction in the adherence of yeasts to BEC collected immediately or 15 min after an oral rinse with AGE. No statistical significance in the adhesion of BEC collected 30 min after oral rinse with AGE and control BEC was observed. The diminished adherence of C. albicans to BEC after exposure to various concentrations of garlic may have clinical relevance

Publication Types:

• Vitro

Publication Types:

• Review