Did You Know?

Allicin Plays Key Role in Garlic's Power

May 2009

Scientists have found that the antioxidant power of garlic is related to the organic compound allicin. The antioxidant effects are due to a compound called sulfenic acid, which is produced by the decomposition of allicin, according to data published in the journal Angewandte Chemie. "Basically the allicin compound has to decompose in order to generate a potent antioxidant," said lead author Dr. Derek Pratt. "The action between sulfenic acid and radicals is as fast as it can get, limited only by the time it takes for the two molecules to come into contact. No one has ever seen compounds, natural or synthetic, react this quickly as antioxidants." He continued: "while garlic has been used as a herbal medicine for centuries and there are many garlic supplements on the market, until now there has been no convincing explanation as to why garlic is beneficial. I think we have taken the first step in uncovering a fundamental chemical mechanism that may explain garlic’s medicinal benefits."

Angewandte Chemie 48(1):157–160, 2009

New to Natural Health?
Tools
Customer Service