Antibacterial Activity of Extracts of Garlic - Case Study Example

Garlic Name Institution Date Assessment Task 1 Abstract Garlic has been used for centuries for medicinal value and flavouring food. It is widely accepted as a form of treatment for various diseases including the heart diseases and blood vessels diseases. Garlic is also used for treating skin diseases, stomach upsets, diarrhea, diabetes, asthma and hemorrhage. The medicinal value of garlic is as a result of a compound known as allicin. The compound can be released through chewing and crushing of garlic. Several misconceptions surround the use of garlic for medicinal purposes. Some people believe that garlic alone can be used for treatment. This is however not true as it has to be used alongside other medications as well as activities that promotes the health of the individuals. The use of integrated therapeuticals is an aspect that involves different measures that supports treatment. Garlic can be part of the process as can be used alongside other methods. Garlic mainly acts by restring the normal body functioning and process. However, there is lack of adequate information and statistics to prove the effectiveness of garlic in treating some of the life threatening diseases. Literature Review Role of garlic Garlic is an herb that is commonly used for flavouring food when cooking. It has been used for about 7,000 years and it is a native of Asia. However, the herb is currently being used for medicinal purpose. The use of garlic for medicinal purposes can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians. It is used for medicinal purposes for preventing, treating and managing conditions related to the heart and blood. Garlic is used for managing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, heart attack and hardening of the arteries. The individuals with the conditions are usually encouraged to consume garlic on a regular basis. It has also been proven scientifically that garlic is effective in slowing down the development of atherosclerosis which is associated with high blood pressure. Garlic is also used to prevent some of the diseases such as rectal cancer, colon cancer, stomach cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer (Block, 2010). The prevention of such diseases is important as cancer is responsible for the deaths of millions of people every year worldwide. Prevention of cancer is highly recommended by the doctors due to the high costs involved in the treatment and its high chances of killing the patients. Garlic is also used in the treatment of bladder cancer and prostate cancer. The patients who have enlarged prostrate in most case use garlic for treatment and management. In some instances, it has been used for the treatment and management of diabetes, hayfever and diarrhea. Garlic is used for the treatment of minor ailments such as fever, colds, flu, coughs, sinus congestions and headaches. This has been used over a long period of time and it has been successful in treating the adults as well as the children. In other instances, garlic has been used in the treatment of gout, rheumatism, hemorrhoids, bronchitis, asthma, low blood pressure, high blood, low blood sugar and snake bites (Khoo & Aziz, 2009). Garlic is also important in maintaining healthy liver function and hence improving on the health of the individuals. Garlic oil is also used for the treatment of skin diseases including ringworm and fungal infections. Garlic therefore has diverse medicinal uses which is important in terms of promoting the health of the individuals. The immune system of the patients individuals can also be boosted and hence making it more beneficial to the health of the individuals. The use of garlic however has some few misconceptions in terms of its medicinal values. Some people believe that only using garlic can be important in curing diseases related to blood and heart. However, this is a misconception and it has to be used alongside the other drugs. In some instances, some individuals believe that they will be cured immediately after using garlic but this is also a misconception as it has to be used continuously over a long period of time. Making garlic odorless by aging is so as to encourage its consumption is also a misconception. Aging garlic reduces its effectiveness and hence impacting negatively on its ability to treat the patients. Role of garlic in biological functioning Garlic plays an important role in the biological function of the body. The compound allicin which is produced by garlic when consumed is responsible for relaxing the blood vessels leading to the normal functioning of the blood vessels. The hydrogen sulfide produced is also responsible for signaling the system leading to the prevention of cancer (Ried, et al, 2010). Garlic plays an important role in terms of reducing the levels of cholesterol and hence ensuring that normal heart beat is restored. This plays an important role in reducing the chances of heat diseases as well as high blood pressure and low blood pressure. Restoring the normal body functioning is therefore an important biological function of garlic and it has been used over the years. Mechanism of action Garlic is usually crushed before it is added to the food for cooking. Crushing garlic leads to the release of allicin which is a compound that is responsible for the distinct smell and is also the active ingredient. Allicin is the main compound that is responsible for the treatment and prevention of diseases. When consumed, allicin enters the body from the digestive tract and it travels to the other parts of the body (Brown, 2015). It is also physically distributed through chewing the raw garlic and it is at times recommended that raw garlic should be chewed regularly by the individuals. Upon entering the body, allicin turns into a variety of fats and water soluble sulfur compounds. The compounds are usually volatile and they produce hydrogen sulfide which is also associated with the taste and smell of garlic. The hydrogen sulfide released is mainly responsible for the treatment of various ailments and prevention of others. Integrated approach to therapeutics Integrative therapeutics involves the use of different methods of therapy for the purpose of treating the patients. The use of this method has been effective when it come to some of the lifelong conditions. The process may involve the use of medication; dieting, counseling, creation of awareness as well as the use of physical exercises is widely used in the integrated approach to therapeutics. The use of garlic can be part of the integrated approach to therapeutics. This is considering that the patients are usually advised to change their diet and consume garlic. The consumption of garlic together with the use of other forms of treatment is therefore important in terms of ensuring that the health of the patient is improved (Verma, et al, 2012). The misconception with regards to the use of garlic should be countered through the use of intergraded approach. The use of integrated approach to therapeutics is important to the patient as one method of treatment may not be in a position to adequately meet the needs of the patients. The use of this method has proved to be effective among most patients with lifelong conditions where garlic also forms part of the treatment. Gaps in the research Gaps exist in literature review which affects the quality of the information provided with regards to the uses of garlic. Adequate information has not been provided in literature with regards to the effectiveness of garlic. Literature has provided information that garlic can be used for the treatment of many diseases including the life threatening diseases. There is however little or no statistics to show the number of people who have been treated and cured through the use of garlic. The information from the literature is rather general and it lacks solid evidence to indicate the potential of garlic in terms of curing the patients with serious conditions such as heart diseases. The research should therefore focus on the statistics in order to fill the gaps. Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that garlic has a medicinal value and it has the potential of threading and preventing life threatening conditions. Garlic has been used for medicinal value for thousands of years which is an indication that it has the potential of healing the patients. It is evident that garlic has an active ingredient which is responsible for treating and preventing some of the diseases. Allicin is the active ingredients that are found in garlic and it gives it’s a medicinal value. It s evident that scientist have also proved that garlic has medicinal value and it is recommended for people with heart and blood vessels problems. The use of garlic however has some misconceptions and hence the need of awareness among the users. It is evident that garlic can be used alongside other medicines for the purposes of treatment. The effectiveness of garlic can be increased by using it alongside other medications and forms of treatment. It is recommended that the consumption of garlic should be encouraged in order to promote the health of the individuals. Assessment Task 2 Misconceptions about garlic and its health benefits Introduction: Background information Garlic has been used by humans for over 7,000 years and it is a native to central Asia although it has long been used in together regions including the Mediterranean, Europe, Africa and Asia. The crop is in the family of onion, chive, leek and shallot (Deein, et al, 2013). There are some species of the plant with some of them growing in the wild in central Asia. Garlic is commonly used for flavouring food in most parts of the world. However, its medicinal value is of much importance to humans and it has been used for centuries. Garlic has also been subjected to various scientific studies that have indicated it has medicinal value. Garlic can be used in various forms but it is usually crushed in most cases before it is used for the purposes of cooking. Raw garlic can also be chewed and this is important in terms of it medicinal value. Garlic oil is also used in most cases for the purposes of treating the patients. In some of the incidences, garlic oil is usually used for the purposes of treating the patients with skin diseases. Garlic oil is also used during the process of cooking and it has been effective in terms of ensuring that the health of the individual is restored. Garlic can be used for the purposes of treating life threatening diseases and this has been going on for centuries. The paper is therefore a proposal about a research regarding the misconceptions and health benefits of garlic to human health. Statement of the problem Garlic has been used over the century for the treatment and prevention of life threatening diseases such as heart diseases and blood vessels diseases. It has also been used for the treatment of other forms of ailment in different parts of the world. Garlic has been used for treating more than 10 diseases which has led to a lot of research with regards to the medical benefits of the plant (Anwar, et al, 2009). The health benefits of garlic to humans has been questioned by some of the stakeholders with regards to the number of diseases that it can be used to treat. Although there has been lack of adequate documentations with regards to the health benefits of garlic it has been proven to be beneficial by scientists. There have also been a lot of misconceptions with regards to the health benefits of garlic. Some people believe that garlic has the ability to treat thousands of diseases and hence benefiting the humans greatly. A misconception also exists that there is no need using the modern drugs for treating some diseases but only garlic should instead be used. The health benefits of garlic should therefore be subjected to more scientific research in order to ensure that any misconceptions are eliminated and the real health benefits identified. Literature Review Garlic is a herb that has been used due to its medicinal value by people from different parts of the world. The Greek and the Ancient Egyptians are among the first people to use garlic for the purposes of treating various diseases. As a result of this, its use spread fast to other parts of the world and it has since been used for treating and managing various ailments including heart diseases which are known for causing the deaths of millions of people in different parts of the world. More than 10 serious ailments can be treated through the use of garlic and this has been proven scientifically. Various studies have been carried out to ascertain the health benefits of garlic and it has indicated that garlic is successful in treating the diseases. Studies indicate that garlic is beneficial to human health and most of the doctors recommend its use when the patients are facing various life threatening illnesses and lifelong conditions (Ried, et al, 2010). Garlic has also been use in the treatment and prevention of various forms of cancer including breast cancer and prostate cancer which are among the leading causes death in most countries. Scientifically, it has been proven that garlic has the potentials of restoring the normal body functioning. This is attributed to the active ingredient that garlic contains which is known and allicin. The compound allicin is known to break down the fats that affects the blood vessel and hence its ability to treat the heart and blood vessels diseases. The restoration of the normal body functions is also an important benefit of garlic to human health. It ability to treat and prevent various diseases is also beneficial to humans. This is considering that some of the diseases are too expensive to treat. Garlic reduces the cost of treatment through the prevention of the life threatening illnesses. However, despite the known health benefits of garlic, there are also misconceptions with regards to its health benefits to humans. One of the major misconception is that garlic cam be used to cure cancer and heart diseases even when the disease is at an advanced stage (Khoo & Aziz, 2009). This is a major a misconception as such life threatening diseases may not be treatable at an advanced stage. As a result of the misconception, some of the patients do not go to hospitals to seek treatment and hence leading to the deaths. The overreliance on garlic has therefore contributed to the deaths of some of the patients. This is common in some rural areas where the access to hospitals is limited. The success of the using garlic in the treatments of some of the major life threatening diseases is also to blame for some of the misconception. There is also a misconception that garlic has the ability to treat thousands of diseases. This has resulted to the consumption of garlic among the patients suffering from almost any disease. The use of garlic has also been on the increase in the recent past as some of the lifestyle diseases are on the increase. The misconception about garlic can also be attributed to the beliefs surrounding garlic. Over a long period of time, garlic has been considered as a wonder plant and hence the misconception that it can be used for the treatment of thousands of diseases. Over the years, the garlic has been considered as a sacred food in Asia and it was used for making offerings to the gods and this has also contributed to the misconception. In Europe, garlic was considered in the past as a potent preventive medicine. In the past, Europeans considered garlic as a powerful ward against vampires and werewolves (Block, 2010). It is through such believes that there is a lot of misconception about the garlic. Among the Indians and Buddhist, it is believed that garlic increases the desire of the individuals and should therefore be avoided. This believes surrounding garlic therefore contributes to the misconceptions and exaggerations with regards to the medicinal value of garlic. Garlic is also known for causing bad breath when it is chewed due to its properties. This may also be transmitted to the children who are breast feeding and their mothers using garlic. Higher dosages of garlic may also have some health effects and it may be more harmful to the individuals if taken alongside other medication. Garlic has health benefits but it cannot be consumed by everyone due to the issues of allergy. The people who are allergic to allicin cannot use garlic as it may have negative side effects on them. Objective To establish the health benefits of garlic and the misconceptions that surrounds its health benefits. Methodology The collection of data is an important aspect of research and it determines the quality of the research. Secondary and primary research methods are usually used during the collection of data. Secondary research involves obtaining the data from the existing sources such as journals, books and the internet. Primary data includes obtaining the information from the source which includes interviewing the stakeholders and people concerned (Flick, 2011). For the purposes of the research, secondary and primary methods of data collection will be used. Data will be collected from the journals and books. However, only the recent books and journals from the known publishing houses will be used in the research. This is for the purposes of ensuring that the information is credible. Interviews will also be carried out with the experts as well as the ordinary people who use garlic for health reasons. Interviews will also be useful in terms of obtaining the information about the misconceptions. The concepts of qualitative research will also be utilized. Qualitative research mainly deals with the theoretical aspects and calculations statistical data is not used in qualitative research. The concepts of qualitative research are important to the research as it will highlight the important issues that are related to the benefits of garlic and the misconceptions surrounding it. This is considering that the research problem requires the perceptions and opinions of the experts as well as the ordinary people. High levels of ethics will be maintained during the research in order to ensure that the process is credible. Work Plan The work plan will be used for the purposes of ensuring that the research is carried out in a timely and orderly manner. The timetable will play an important role in terms of ensuring that goals and objectives of the research is achieved. The table blew is the work plan that will be used during the research. Activities Description Timeline Preparation for the research Establishing the materials required for the research. Establishing the aims and objectives of the research. Determining the methodology to be used in the research. Determining the personnel who will be interviewed during the research. Developing questionnaires and interview questions. 1 Week Data collection Visiting the library to obtain information from the books and journals about the topic. Browsing the internet to access the online library and collect information from the journals. Interviewing the selected personnel through the telephone and on a face to face basis. Distributing the questionnaires and interview questions. 3 weeks Data analysis Analyzing the information collected from the field. Comparing the data obtained from the books and journals with the information collected from the field. 1 Week Reports writing and compilation Typing the actual report and proof reading to ensure that it is error free. Saving the report on soft copy and printing. Compiling a booklet. 1 week Completion of the research Submitting the report 1 day Budget The project will require some funding for the purposes of ensuring that certain activities are carried out. Some of the items that will have to be purchased include a laptop and a storage device. This will be aimed at preparing the report. It will require about $500 for the purposes of making the purchase and ensuring that the process of data preparation is successful. Other expenses will also be incurred during the process of data collection. Travel expenses will be incurred when travelling to the field in order to interview the respondents. However, the travel expense will be minimal and it may only require about $ 200 to complete the whole process. Minor expenses will be incurred during the process of compiling the report. The printing and binding of the report will require about $ 50. The whole project is therefore likely to cost $ 750. However, it is also important to note that contingencies may occur during the project and this may lead delays and increase in expenses for the project. A contingency amount of $ 250 will therefore be allocated for the research project. The total amount that will be required for the projects will therefore be $ 1000. However, it is important to note that not all the amount will be used during the project. The success of the project will depend on carefully spending so as to ensure that the funds sop not run out before the completion of the project. References Anwar, A. et al. (2009). Garlic: from nature’s ancient food to nematicide. Pesticide News 84: 18–20. Brown, D. (2015). "A review of traditional and novel oral anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy for dermatologists and dermatologic surgeons". Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 72 (3): 524–34. Block, E. (2010). Garlic and Other Alliums: The Lore and the Science. Royal Society of Chemistry. Deein, W. et al. (2013). "Growth of Chrysanthemum Explants on MS Medium Sterilized by Disinfectants and Essential Oils". International Journal of Bioscience, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics: 609. Flick, U. (2011). Introducing research methodology: A beginner's guide to doing a research project. London: Sage. Khoo Y. S. & Aziz Z. (2009). Garlic supplementation and serum cholesterol: a meta-analysis. J Clin Pharm Ther (Meta-analysis) 34 (2): 133–45. Ried, K. et al. (2010). "Aged garlic extract lowers blood pressure in patients with treated but uncontrolled hypertension: a randomised controlled trial". Maturitas 67 (2): 144–150. Verma, V. et al. (2012). Antibacterial activity of extracts of Citrus, Allium & Punica against food borne spoilage. Asian Journal of Plant Science and Research 2 (4): 503–509. Read More