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Posted on Oct 14, 2002, 5 a.m.
By Bill Freeman
Allicin, the active ingredient of garlic, could be useful in the fight against potentially fatal hospital acquired infections, say researchers. Speaking at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Dr Ronald Cutler presented findings showing that the garlic extract is capable of destroying methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Allicin, the active ingredient of garlic, could be useful in the fight against potentially fatal hospital acquired infections, say researchers. Speaking at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Dr Ronald Cutler presented findings showing that the garlic extract is capable of destroying methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Cutler and his colleagues found that topical creams containing just 32 parts per million (ppm) of allicin inhibited the growth of 30 different samples of the bacteria, and concentrations of 256 ppm were enough to kill the bacteria. According to Cutler, there is little chance of MRSA becoming resistant to allicin as other bacteria that are susceptible to allicin have never been seen to develop resistance to it.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.reutershealth.com on the 20th December 2001
