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Garlic Details & Specifications |
| Useful
Link |
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| Botanical Name |
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Allium sativum Linn. |
| English Name |
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Garlic |
| Hindi Name |
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Lahsun |
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| CATEGORY |
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Carminative |
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| SOURCE |
| Part used |
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State of the part used |
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Seeds |
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Stem |
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Fresh & dried |
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| FAMILY |
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Liliaceae |
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| GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE |
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The plant is indigenous to India and is found in following countries: -
Europe
India
Italy
South Russia
USA
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| IDENTIFICATION |
| Organoleptic characteristics |
| Colour |
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| Odour |
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Characteristics and aromatic |
| Taste |
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Aromatic and pungent |
| Size |
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The bulbs are 1.25 to 2.5 cm. In size |
| Physical
Standards |
| Total Ash |
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N/A |
| Moisture |
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Not more than 6.0 % |
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| CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS |
| Major |
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Major chemical constituents responsible for physicochemical and therapeutic action of the herb are :-
Carbohydrates (About 29%)
Protein (About 55 %)
Fat (About 0.15 %)
Mucilage
Volatile oil
Allicin
Alliin-lyase
Pyruvic acid and ammonia
Polysulphides
Garllic oil
Eessential oil
Garlic bulbs contain 29 percent of carbohydrates, about 55 percent of protein like albumin, 0.15 percent of fat, mucilage and volatile oil. The active properties of Garlic depend on a pungent volatile essential oil, which may readily be obtained by distillation with water. It is a sulphide of the radical Allyl present in all the onion family. This oil is rich in sulphur but contains no oxygen. The peculiar penetrating odour of Garlic is due to this intensely smelling sulphuret of allyl and is so diffusive that even when the bulb is applied to the soles of the feet its odour is exhaled by the lungs. It also contains allicin which is unstable and by distillation or in the presence of water and oxygen gets decomposed into polysulphides which are responsible for the unpleasant smell of volatile oil. The same degradation occurs in the organism and imparts smell to the exhaled breath. Garllic oil yellow in colour and has specific gravity of 1.046 and is optically inactive.
/p>
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| Minor |
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The drug contains various minor chemical constituents however no specific contents have been identified yet. |
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| CULTIVATION |
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It is hardy perennial with narrow flat leaves and has white small flowers and bulbs. The cultivation of the drug is done by planting bulbs in the month of September to October. It needs about four months for harvesting. For cultivation about 250 to 300 kg of bulbs are required per hectare. The ground should be prepared in a similar manner as for the closely allied onion. Dig over well freeing the ground from all lumps and put some lime into it and tread firmly. Divide the bulbs into their component 'cloves' each fair-sized bulb will divide into ten or twelve cloves and with a dibber put in the cloves separately about 2 inches deep and about 6 inches apart leaving about 1 foot distance between the rows. It is well to give a dressing of soot. Garlic beds should be in a sunny spot. They must be kept thoroughly free from weeds and the soil gathered up round the roots with a Dutch hoe from time to time. When planted early in the spring in February or March the bulbs should be ready in August when the leaves will be beginning to wither. Should the summer have been wet and cold they may probably not be ready till nearly the middle of September. |
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| STORAGE |
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To maintain physicochemical properties and medicinal values of the herb it is recommended to maintain following storage conditions: -
Air tight containers
Protection from light
Protection from moisture
Microbial contamination
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