Garlic Paste as Panacea for Dermal Diseases in Animals
Harshita Singh1 , Suryapal Singh1, VS Mor1 , AK Bhatia1 , VK Batra1 and Sajjan Singh 2 1CCSHAU Hisar 2ICAR-CIRB Hisar Email: harshitamor.1106@gmail.com
India is well known for garlic production and is second largest producer of garlic. Except the people with religious sentiments it is consumed by majority in raw form or cooked as condiment. Garlic is grown under wide range of climatic conditions. it cannot withstand extreme temperatures. It requires cool and moist climate during vegetative growth and bulb development stages but warm dry weather during maturity. In general, cool growing period results in higher yield than warm conditions. Exposure of young plants to 20°C or lower temperature for 1-2 months depending upon the variety hastens subsequent bulbing. Plants that are not exposed to such climatic conditions may fail to produce bulbs or produce smaller bulbs..Garlic (Allium sativum L.), a member of Alliaceae family, also known as stinking rose, star of envy or poor man’s treacle is the second important bulb crop after onion and extensively grown throughout the country. It is the oldest cultivated herb being widely recorded in ancient Indian, Chinese, Egyptian and Sumerian cultures. Sanskrit writings document the use of garlic remedies about 5000 years ago. It is an important and remunerative crop, used both as a spice and condiment. Garlic is cultivated as a Rabi season crop in the Indian plains for its bulbs. It is annual for bulb and biennial for seed production. The plant is native to central Asia and later spread to Mediterranean region (Simon, 2001; Kilgori et al., 2007). Now a day, it is grown worldwide mainly in China, India, South Korea, Egypt, Russia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Spain, United States of America, Ukraine, Brazil and Uzbekistan. In India, it is cultivated in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Assam, West Bengal, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Bihar. Madhya Pradesh is leader state in garlic production since it is contributing 30% of the total production of garlicin India. India ranks second in area and production of garlic after China, covering an area of317 thousand hectares with a production of 1611 thousand tonnes and in Haryana, it is grown in 5 thousand hectares, producing 32 thousand tonnes, particularly in the district of Kurukshetra, Ambala and Karnal.
Garlic is known for its high commercial value of bulbs, which is the most commonly used plant part, but other parts viz., leaves and flowers/bulbils on the head (spathe) are also edible, being consumed while immature and still tender. Leaves of garlic are stir-fried with eggs, meat, or vegetables in many parts of Asia. Garlic is widely used for its pungent flavor as a seasoning or condiment and is a key ingredient of most dishes of Asian, the Middle East, European and American countries. It is generally used in combination with onion, tomato, or ginger. A variety of classic dishes can be prepared with garlic such as garlic bread, garlic toast, bruschetta, crostini, aioli, ajoblanco, etc. In Eastern Europe, the shoots of garlic are pickled and eaten as an appetizer. Its young bulbs are kept in a mixture of sugar, salt, and spices for around three to six weeks to be used as pickle. In United States of America, garlic festivals are celebrated every year, where famous chefs exhibit their important sines containing garlic as the key ingredient. Garlic contains about 0.1 % volatile oil rich in sulphur contributing to its pungency. The major elements of oil are diallyl disulphide (60%), diallyl trisulphide (20%), allyl propyl disulphide (6%), a small quantity of diethyl disulphide and diallyl polysulfide. These sulphur compounds add to the smell as well as taste of garlic. It is also used in the form of juice, syrup and tincture.
Garlic is a natural health promoter and a wonder herb low in calories, saturated fats and sodium. It contains about 62.8% moisture, 6.3% protein, 0.1% fat, 0.8% fibre and is a good source of carbohydrates (29.0 g) along with a number of valuable minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, zinc, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, selenium as well as trace minerals like iodine, sulphur and chlorine. According to USDA National Nutrient Database, garlic is loaded with B-vitamins (folate, thiamine, niacin, and B 6 ), vitamins C, A, and K. Moreover, it is one of the rarest dietary sources of organic compounds, viz., allicin, allisatin 1, and allisatin 2. Garlic has miraculous pharmaceutical effects as it possesses anti-cancer, anti-viral, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is effectual in the management of the cardiovascular diseases, lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure. It is well recognized in the control and treatment of worms, germs, bacterial and fungal diseases, diabetes, cancer, ulcer, rheumatism, etc. Furthermore, it is beneficial in ailments like arthritis, gout, stroke, cataract, etc. Garlic syrup is a treasured medication for asthma and chronic bronchitis. Also, garlic bulb infusion is said to be effective in treating epilepsy. Anti-aging and anti-hyperlipidaemic effect of garlic has also been reported by various researchers.
Other uses take account of treatment of fever, whooping cough, headache, stomach ache, hair loss and haemorrhoids. All this has gained it the label of super food. Extract of garlic have nematocidal, fungicidal and insecticidal action too. Its crude extract is relatively effective against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, and also found to restrain the growth of some bacteria, resistant to commonly used antibiotics. Foot rot disease in French bean can be controlled by treating the seeds with garlic extract and its 1% extract provides protection against mosquito and black fly for about 8 hours. Garlic extract in conjunction with chilli and ginger has been found beneficial against soil nematodes. Root-dip treatment of tomato seedlings with Allicin 25 ppm for 5 minutes is effective against Meloidogyne incognita.
Skin infections are commonly encountered in almost all the species but dogs and camel are more prone to such infections. Garlic paste act as panacea for skin ailments. Garlic bulb paste application to the Mange effected areas and ring worms initially have irritating action but soon soothes and cure the lesions. Garlic is nature gift to human and animals and easily available at affordable cost. Oral consumption of garlic clove in the morning extends unlimited health benefit to human and animals. Filtered oil of Bulbs put in olive oil and kept for 3-4 days have very encouraging results in treating fungal infection on skin. Eczema is treated effectively by garlic paste although it has burning sensation but cures it when allopathic medication fails. Ten to fifteen minutes garlic paste application corrects boils. There are endless curing properties of garlic. It is a nature’s wonder gift, which provides energy, enhances immune system, prolongs youthfulness, longevity and protects from various diseases and ailments. Making a habit of consuming garlic only proves all rounds beneficial to every body.
