garlic
Topical application of garlic reduces northern fowl mite infestation in laying hens.

Birrenkott GP, Brockenfelt GE, Greer JA, Owens MD.

Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Clemson University, South Carolina 29634-0361, USA. gbrrnkt clemson.edu

Northern fowl mites (NFM) are external parasites that can lower egg production and cause anemia and even death in laying hens. An experiment was conducted with New Hampshire Red and Single Comb White Leghorn laying hens. Hens were individually caged and provided a complete laying diet and water ad libitum. Hens were assigned to groups in a way that assured that treatments, within each breed, would be applied to comparable numbers of birds with light and heavy mite infestations. Each hen was sprayed around the vent with either water or 10% garlic juice in water. Spraying continued each week for 3 wk. During the fourth week, each bird was scored for the presence of NFM on its skin and feathers. A small snippet of feathers was removed from below the vent of each hen and placed in a labeled petri dish with a round, white filter paper insert. The NFM content of each dish was scored by two individuals approximately 1 h after sampling. There was no significant difference in the NFM scores for hens based on breed or future treatment. After the birds were treated for 3 wk, there was no significant difference in external NFM scores based on breed. There were significantly fewer NFM on the birds treated with garlic juice compared with controls, based on external and petri dish scoring (P < 0.002 and P < 0.04, respectively). The reduction in external NFM score was also significant (P < 0.004), with controls declining approximately 0.2 units, whereas garlic-treated hens had a 1.8-unit decrease in external NFM score. Topical application of garlic juice may be an effective way to decrease NFM in laying hens.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11092328&dopt=Abstract garlic



garlic
Garlic and onion oils inhibit proliferation and induce differentiation of HL-60 cells.

Seki T, Tsuji K, Hayato Y, Moritomo T, Ariga T.

Department of Nutrition and Physiology, Nihon University College of Bioresource Sciences, 1866 Kameino, Fujisawa, 252-8510, Kanagawa, Japan. tseki brs.nihon-u.ac.jp

Phytochemicals present in the genus Allium have potential pharmacological effects, such as antimicrobial, antithrombotic, antitumor, hypolipidaemic and hypoglycemic activities. In this present study, we examined the effects of garlic and onion oils on human promyelocytic leukemia cells, HL-60. Incubation of HL-60 with garlic or onion oil (20 microg/ml) caused a marked suppression of HL-60 proliferation; the suppression was almost identical with those obtained by all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) used as positive controls. These oils induced the generation of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT)-reducing activity, and about 20% of the HL-60 cells became NBT positive. CD11b, another marker of the differentiation of these cells, was also significantly induced by garlic oil or onion oil. The combination of garlic or onion oil with ATRA was more effective than either alone. These data suggest that garlic and onion oils have the ability to induce differentiation of HL-60 cells into those of the granulocytic lineage.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11098081&dopt=Abstract garlic



garlic
The microaerophilic flagellate Giardia intestinalis: Allium sativum (garlic) is an effective antigiardial.

Harris JC, Plummer S, Turner MP, Lloyd D.

Microbiology Group, School of Biosciences (BIOSI Main Building), Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3TL, UK. harrisjc cf.ac.uk

Whole garlic (Allium sativum L.) extract and some of its components were assayed for antigiardial activity. Whole garlic extract gave an IC(50) at 24 h of 0.3 mg ml(-1). Most of the components assayed were inhibitory to the organism, especially allyl alcohol and allyl mercaptan, with IC(50) values of 7 microg ml(-1) and 37 microg ml(-1) respectively. Studies with calcofluor white indicated that whole garlic and allyl alcohol collapse the transmembrane electrochemical membrane potential (Deltapsi) of the organism, as indicated by uptake of the fluorochrome. Electron microscopy allowed the morphological changes that occur with garlic inhibition to be recorded. Both the surface topography and internal architecture of the organism changed during incubation with the biocides. Both whole garlic and allyl alcohol resulted in fragmentation of the disc and an overexpression of disc microribbons, internalization of flagella, vacuole formation and an increase in distended vesicles. Allyl mercaptan, however, only gave an increase in distended vesicles, suggesting that this biocide has a different mode of action.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11101670&dopt=Abstract garlic



garlic
Hematologic changes associated with the appearance of eccentrocytes after intragastric administration of garlic extract to dogs.

Lee KW, Yamato O, Tajima M, Kuraoka M, Omae S, Maede Y.

Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether dogs given garlic extract developed hemolytic anemia and to establish the hematologic characteristics induced experimentally by intragastric administration of garlic extract. ANIMALS: 8 healthy adult mixed-breed dogs. PROCEDURE: 4 dogs were given 1.25 ml of garlic extract/kg of body weight (5 g of whole garlic/kg) intragastrically once a day for 7 days. The remaining 4 control dogs received water instead of garlic extract. Complete blood counts were performed, and methemoglobin and erythrocyte-reduced glutathione concentrations, percentage of erythrocytes with Heinz bodies, and percentage of eccentrocytes were determined before and for 30 days after administration of the first dose of garlic extract. Ultrastructural analysis of eccentrocytes was performed. RESULTS: Compared with initial values, erythrocyte count, Hct, and hemoglobin concentration decreased to a minimum value on days 9 to 11 in dogs given garlic extract. Heinz body formation, an increase in erythrocyte-reduced glutathione concentration, and eccentrocytes were also detected in these dogs. However, no dog developed hemolytic anemia. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The constituents of garlic have the potential to oxidize erythrocyte membranes and hemoglobin, inducing hemolysis associated with the appearance of eccentrocytes in dogs. Thus, foods containing garlic should not be fed to dogs. Eccentrocytosis appears to be a major diagnostic feature of garlic-induced hemolysis in dogs.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11108195&dopt=Abstract garlic



garlic
Garlic induces a shift in cytokine pattern in Leishmania major-infected BALB/c mice.

Ghazanfari T, Hassan ZM, Ebtekar M, Ahmadiani A, Naderi G, Azar A.

Department of Immunology, School of Medicine Sciences, Shahed University,Tehran, Iran. tghazanfari yahoo.com

The regulation of T helper (Th)1- and Th2-type cytokine patterns is important in the final outcome of leishmaniasis in human and murine models. We examined the efficacy of garlic therapy or a combination of garlic and an antimonial drug (glucantime) in promoting healing and regulation of Th1/Th2 cytokine patterns in highly susceptible BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania major. Separate groups of infected mice received 20 mg/kg/day garlic, 60 mg/kg/day glucantime or a combination of the two, from day 30 after infection for 2 weeks. An enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) was performed on spleen cell culture supernatants for interferon(IFN)-gamma interleukin(IL)-2, IL-4 and IL-10. The results indicate that garlic therapy is more effective than the usual antileishmanial drug in curing the infection. Garlic-treated mice developed Th1-type cytokine responses. In contrast, glucantime therapy led to a Th2-type response in the control group with a lower level of IL-2. However, a combination of garlic and glucantime treatment was more effective than either treatment alone, and resulted in a Th1-type response similar to that which developed with garlic treatment. These results suggest that garlic extract in combination with an antimonial drug, may provide effective therapy against L. major. The immunomodulatory properties of garlic were elucidated in terms of shifting the cytokine response to a Th1-type pattern and therefore causing the protective response.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11119248&dopt=Abstract garlic