This homemade oil is a suitable alternative to raw garlic, especially for infants and children. In oil form, garlic can be easily administered for various ear issues in both humans and pets, applied as drops for infants, used topically for fungal infections, or used whenever a convenient form is desired. It's advisable to have some prepared garlic oil on hand at all times. The oil will maintain its potency for a few months or longer if stored properly in a tightly sealed glass container (such as a dropper bottle) in the refrigerator. One teaspoon of garlic oil is approximately equivalent to one average clove of raw garlic. Instructions for making garlic oil can be found below.
HOMEMADE GARLIC OIL
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup minced fresh garlic
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Thoroughly blend the ingredients together, then add an additional 1/4 cup of olive oil. Stir lightly, transfer the mixture into a covered glass jar, and place it in a sunny window. Let it sit for 10 days, gently shaking the jar three times a day. On the 10th day, strain the mixture through a cloth and store the oil in the refrigerator.
After straining, you may notice a small amount of fine, white residue in the oil. It's acceptable to leave it as long as it's a minimal quantity and very fine. Otherwise, it may clog your dropper or cause spoilage. If you find yourself in need of garlic oil without any prepared, you can start a fresh batch following the above instructions but use it immediately without straining. However, it's recommended to continue the process by letting the remaining garlic oil sit for 10 days and then strain it. Feel free to use the unstrained oil in the meantime. Occasionally, you may find that you've used up the garlic oil while it was still in the window before the 10 days have passed. In such cases, it's acceptable in emergencies, but it's preferable to have properly extracted garlic oil on hand whenever possible.
Avoid leaving the mixture standing beyond the tenth day, as it will start to lose potency and deteriorate if not strained and refrigerated by that time. The strained garlic pulp can be consumed or used as a cooking condiment.
The Benefits of Garlic Oil
Garlic essential oil comes from garlic, a plant used in medicine for a long time. It has a complex chemical makeup that can vary depending on how it's made, giving it many different effects. The sulfur compounds in garlic essential oil are especially important. Studies show that it has antimicrobial, heart-protective, anticancer, antioxidant, and other properties. Remember, we're only talking about the benefits of garlic essential oil here. Other garlic products, like those with allicin, are also good for your health. And there's a lot more to learn about garlic that we haven't covered here.
Controlling Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus affects millions worldwide, with an increasing prevalence projected. Garlic essential oil has shown potential in addressing complications associated with diabetes, such as hyperglycemia and impaired blood clotting. Studies have demonstrated that garlic oil can restore antioxidant status, improve glycemic control, enhance insulin secretion and sensitivity, and improve renal function in diabetic rats. Additionally, a study on humans revealed that chronic consumption of garlic oil reduced blood glucose levels in females, suggesting gender differences in its effects. garlic oil has also been found to positively affect metabolic markers of tissue damage, making it a promising supplement for antidiabetic therapy.
Powerful Antioxidant
Garlic essential oil, a major constituent of garlic, has shown remarkable antioxidant activity, comparable to vitamin C. Heating garlic reduces its antioxidant potential, while the essential oil retains its efficacy. The oil exhibits strong antiradical activity, surpassing other essential oils tested. It also protects against oxidative damage induced by tributyltin, reducing reactive oxygen species production and DNA damage. These findings emphasize the potential of garlic essential oil as a natural antioxidant source with applications in medicine, food preservation, and cosmetics.
Fighting Bacterial Infections
Garlic essential oil has potent antimicrobial properties due to its diverse array of compounds. Components such as terpenes and phenols display exceptional antimicrobial activity, leading to extensive scientific investigations and the development of novel antimicrobial drugs. Recent studies have highlighted the potential of garlic essential oil, which is 200 times more potent than garlic powder and 900 times stronger than fresh garlic. Allyl methyl sulfide, expelled through breath, further supports its use in treating infectious diseases. Garlic oil, along with its major components DADS and DATS, effectively inhibits various pathogens, including Helicobacter pylori and Staphylococcus aureus. Incorporating garlic oil into edible films enhances its antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens, and traditional Chinese preparations combining garlic oil with other herbs have shown effectiveness against Vibrio species. Garlic essential oil exhibits antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, and antiviral properties by reacting with cellular proteins and demonstrating significant antimicrobial activity against bacteria.
Combating Fungal Infections
GO has proven to be an effective treatment for skin conditions like ringworm, displaying strong antifungal properties. Studies have shown that garlic oil, particularly from the genus Allium, exhibits significant inhibition of Trichophyton species, and its antifungal activity is enhanced when combined with ketoconazole. Garlic essential oil, when combined with allyl alcohol, also demonstrates synergistic effects against fungal organisms. Similarly, a mixture of garlic oil and onion oil exhibits high synergistic activity against Aspergillus versicolor. Traditional Chinese preparations utilize garlic oil in combination with extracts from various plants to combat plant pathogens. Garlic oil, in addition to oils extracted from garlic and onion, as well as sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, has demonstrated its ability to inhibit the growth of Aspergillus niger. This protective effect helps safeguard stored garlic cloves by preventing black mold infection. Garlic oil has also demonstrated antiyeast activity in soy sauce and holds promise for protecting stored food products. However, conflicting reports exist regarding the efficacy of garlic oil, with some suggesting that higher concentrations may be required for optimal antifungal activity. Ajoene, a component of garlic essential oil, has significant antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger, and allyl alcohol derived from garlic exhibits potent antiyeast activity. Both compounds have shown promising results in the treatment of fungal infections.
Protection Against Parasites
Garlic essential oil has antiprotozoal activity against Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia intestinalis, and Trypanosomes. It shows potent inhibitory activity against E. histolytica at a concentration of 0.4 mg/ml, causing complete lysis of trophozoites. Garlic oil also exhibits activity against poultry intestinal flagellates Tetratrichomonas gallinarum and Histomonas meleagridis. Studies have focused on the effects of garlic preparations but have overlooked the pure essential oil, which lacks allicin, a previously effective agent.
Warding Off Viruses
Garlic has long been recognized for its antiviral properties. Ajoene and allicin are the most effective components, showing antiviral effects against various viruses. Allyl sulfides have no activity, while methyl allyl thiosulfinates have a significant antiviral effect. Garlic essential oil demonstrated potent antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus 1.
Natural Insect and Mite Repellent
Garlic preparations are effective insecticides against mites, nematodes, and mosquito larvae. Garlic oil has shown significant effects on various insect species when applied topically. It provides protection against mosquitoes and affects the gonotrophic cycle of female Anopheles mosquitoes. The main components of garlic oil, diallyl sulfide (DAS) and diallyl disulfide (DADS), exhibit high activity against mosquito larvae. Garlic oil also demonstrates toxicity against Tribolium castaneum and Sitophilus zeamais. It is effective in protecting grains and has an additive effect when combined with diatomaceous earth. Garlic oil shows potency against the eggs of various pests and exhibits fumigant toxicity against German cockroaches. It also has acaricidal effects, causing mortality in tick larvae.
Eliminating Intestinal Worms
Garlic has traditionally been used to treat parasites in humans, along with milk. Recent studies have shown that garlic oil has strong antiparasitic effects against flukes and nematodes. Singh et al. found that garlic oil at 1 mg/ml significantly reduced muscular activity in flukes. At 3 mg/ml, garlic oil paralyzed the flukes within 15 minutes, and this paralysis was irreversible. Garlic oil also exhibited high activity against Bursaphelenchus xylophilus nematodes. DADS and DATS were identified as the active components responsible for the effects of garlic oil.
Potential Cancer-Fighting Properties
Garlic and its chemical constituents, such as DAS, DADS, and DATS, have shown significant antitumor properties. They inhibit various stages of tumorigenesis and suppress the proliferation of cancer cells in different models. DADS has been found to inhibit HepG2 cell proliferation and induce cell cycle arrest. DATS exhibits potent antiproliferative effects on lung cells and liver tumor cells, leading to cell death. DADS induces apoptosis in bladder cancer cells and influences cell cycle regulation. Garlic essential oil inhibits proliferation and induces differentiation in leukemia cells. Furthermore, DAS inhibits mutagenesis and tumorigenesis and reduces tumor incidence and multiplicity in mice.
Garlic Oil for a Healthy Heart
Garlic oil is beneficial for cardiovascular health, particularly in relation to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis involves inflammation, fatty deposits, and excessive cell growth in artery walls, leading to dangerous blood clots and fatal heart attacks. In a study with 432 heart attack patients, daily supplementation with garlic oil reduced reinfarction rates (35%) and mortality (45%). Another study on rats showed that oral treatment with garlic oil reduced cardiac necrosis and lipid peroxidation, indicating a cardioprotective effect. Human studies demonstrated that garlic oil increases resistance to oxidation, possesses antioxidative and anti-atherosclerotic properties, and helps reduce hyperlipemia levels, thereby decreasing the incidence and mortality rates of atherosclerosis.
Lowering Cholesterol Naturally
Garlic has been extensively studied and confirmed to have cholesterol-lowering properties. It reduces lipid content in the arterial wall, protecting against atherosclerosis. Studies on animals such as rabbits, rats, chickens, and monkeys have shown that garlic oil and ajoene inhibit key enzymes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis. Garlic oil treatment in rats decreases hepatic cholinesterogenesis and exhibits lipid-lowering effects. Supplementation of garlic oil in high-sucrose diets reduces serum and tissue cholesterol, triglyceride, and lipid levels. Garlic unsaturated and saturated oils prevent rapid lipid accumulation in the liver. Garlic essential oil also prevents lipid accumulation in the aorta and atherosclerosis. While garlic essential oil may be less potent compared to other garlic extracts, it still has cholesterol-lowering activity. Components of garlic oil, such as DADS and DATS, inhibit cholesterol synthesis, making garlic oil a potential supplement for treating hypercholesterolemia. Compounds containing allyl disulfide or allyl sulfhydril groups are likely responsible for inhibiting cholesterol synthesis.
Preventing Blood Clots
Garlic oil exhibits anticoagulant and antiplatelet properties by interfering with thromboxane synthesis and inhibiting platelet aggregation. The antithrombotic effect is attributed to compounds like allicin, polysulfides, and ajoene. Garlic oil inhibits the production of TXB2, HHT, PGE2, and 12-HETE, impairing arachidonic acid metabolism. Ajoene, in particular, plays a significant role in the anticoagulant effects of garlic. These compounds have demonstrated inhibition of platelet aggregation in various animals and can prevent thrombus formation under severe vascular damage and physiological calcium levels.
Promoting Healthy Blood Flow
Fibrinolytic activity is crucial for clotting, healing, and other physiological processes. Conditions like diabetes and hypertension disrupt this system, increasing clotting risk. Garlic oil enhances fibrinolytic activity in rabbits and humans. It reduces blood coagulability and increases activity beyond normal levels. Chronic garlic oil administration significantly boosts fibrinolytic activity in healthy individuals and heart attack patients, even exceeding 100% increase in fibrin breakdown.
Managing High Blood Pressure
Garlic has antihypertensive properties by preventing blood clotting and promoting unrestricted blood flow, lowering blood pressure. Increased garlic consumption is linked to a lower incidence of hypertension. One study examined Garlic Essential Oil, where 70 hypertensive patients were given garlic oil equivalent to 50 g of raw garlic daily. Significant blood pressure reductions were observed in 47 patients.
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