Collecting Research on Allicin

Merriam-Webster defines “allicin” as

a pungent compound C₆H₁₀OS₂ formed enzymatically in crushed garlic cloves that imparts the distinctive smell to garlic and possesses antimicrobial properties

This is a collection of links to research on Allicin and garlic as a whole.

What might it be good for?

Numerous clinical and lab studies have been conducted exploring a wide variety of positive effects of allicin and other garlic constituents on human and animal health. I’ll link to some of those papers.

• Arreola, Rodrigo et al. “Immunomodulation and anti-inflammatory effects of garlic compounds.” Journal of immunology research vol. 2015 (2015): 401630. doi:10.1155/2015/401630
• Nadeem, Muhammad Shahid et al. “Allicin, an Antioxidant and Neuroprotective Agent, Ameliorates Cognitive Impairment.” Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 11,1 87. 30 Dec. 2021, doi:10.3390/antiox11010087
• Fuchs, Amanda L et al. “Characterization of the antibacterial activity of Bald’s eyesalve against drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.” PloS one vol. 13,11 e0208108. 28 Nov. 2018, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0208108
• Mösbauer, Kirstin et al. “The Effect of Allicin on the Proteome of SARS-CoV-2 Infected Calu-3 Cells.” Frontiers in microbiology vol. 12 746795. 28 Oct. 2021, doi:10.3389/fmicb.2021.746795
  • This paper makes a rather interesting reference to W.C. Minchin’s “A Study in Tubercle Virus(…)” paper of 1927, wherein Minchin documents having fashioned and used an inhaler to deliver prepared garlic oil vapor to the lower respiratory system for the treatment of tuberculosis
  • Yes, hello! I’d like to be able to have a garlic vapor inhaler as part of a COVID-19 treatment regimen. It beats the heck out of horse pills or ‘just doing nothing’.

So, how can one add basic Allicin to one’s diet?

Allicin has a rather short half-life - between as little as 48 minutes and as much as about 11 days, depending on how it’s handled. This instability makes it incredibly difficult to manufacture and package allicin in consumer quantities for peddling at the local pharmacy chain, and what pharma corporation is going to just up and tell people to prepare their own?

If you’ve ever tried consuming raw garlic, you likely know how unpleasant it can be - it can burn skin and harm the GI tract.

Heat treatment before consuming garlic can greatly reduce these hazards, but at the same time, heat reduces the effectiveness of allicin and other beneficial compounds that naturally occur in fresh garlic.

Therefore, a balance must be struck.

Here’s how I handle it (but note that we like our garlic garlicky, and YMMV):

• Crush 2-3 cloves of garlic (for a 2-person meal) and let stand ~20 minutes
• Sauté 2 minutes, just enough to take the offensive bite out without destroying too much of the allicin
• Set aside and prepare the rest of the meal
• Add the sautéd garlic in just before serving