Wild garlic

Wild garlic (Bear’s Garlic) is a plant whose leaves and bulb are used to make medicine. Wild garlic is used for upset stomach, flatulence, high blood pressure, and arteriosclerosis. Some people apply wild garlic directly to the skin for persistent skin rashes.

Wild garlic (Allium ursinum), also known as wood garlic or ramsons, is a widespread plant in European and Asian forests. It prefers to grow in moist, shady woodlands and is harvested mainly in spring. Wild garlic is known for its intense garlic smell and taste and is used in cooking as well as in traditional medicine.

What benefits does wild garlic offer?

In folk medicine, wild garlic is valued for its blood-cleansing, antibacterial, and digestion-promoting properties. It was traditionally used to relieve high blood pressure, to promote circulation, and to treat gastrointestinal complaints. Studies have linked wild garlic to a range of different effects that could support health.

  • Cardiovascular health: Like its relative, garlic, wild garlic contains compounds that could promote blood clotting and lower blood pressure. Some studies suggest that wild garlic could help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases (1,2,3,4).
  • Antimicrobial effect: Similar to garlic, wild garlic has antimicrobial and antiviral properties. This is attributed to its sulfur compounds, which have an antibacterial effect (5,6).
  • Anti-inflammatory: Some studies suggest that wild garlic has anti-inflammatory effects, which could make it interesting as a natural aid in the treatment of inflammatory conditions (7).
  • Digestion-promoting: In investigations, wild garlic has shown a digestion-promoting effect that was able to relieve stomach complaints and support overall digestion (8).

Despite the published studies, it remains the case that more research is necessary before speaking of facts; in addition, many published works are animal studies, which is why they cannot readily be transferred to humans

How does wild garlic work?

Wild garlic contains a variety of bioactive compounds that are responsible for its health-promoting properties:

  • Allicin: This sulfur compound is responsible for the typical smell of wild garlic and demonstrably possesses antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Allicin can also lower blood pressure and strengthen the immune system (9).
  • Flavonoids and saponins: These substances act as antioxidants and help combat free radicals in the body. They also contribute to supporting the immune system (10,11).
  • Vitamins and minerals: Wild garlic is rich in vitamin C, A, and some B vitamins; minerals such as iron and calcium are also contained in the plant.

Use and intake

Wild garlic can be used in various ways, whether in the kitchen or as a medicinal plant. In cooking, it is usually used fresh, for example in salads, soups, or as a side with meat dishes. The leaves are the most commonly used parts of the plant. Wild garlic can also be taken as a tea or as a component of dietary supplements.

Taking wild garlic in the form of fresh leaves or as dried powder is considered safe, but it should not be consumed in excessive amounts, as high doses could be harmful to health.

Risks and side effects

  • Allergic reactions: As with many plants, allergic reactions can also occur with wild garlic, especially in people who are sensitive to plants of the allium family.
  • Interactions with medications: Since wild garlic has blood-thinning properties (12), taking it at the same time as anticoagulants such as warfarin could lead to increased blood clotting.
  • Risk of confusion with poisonous plants: A major risk when gathering wild garlic in the wild is that the plant can be confused with other poisonous plants such as the lily of the valley plant. It is important to know your plants well before gathering wild garlic.

Conclusion

Wild garlic is a versatile plant with a range of health benefits. It has long been valued especially for its positive effect on the cardiovascular system and its anti-inflammatory properties. However, due to the risk of confusion and possible interactions with medications, wild garlic should always be used with caution.

Sources:

  1. Preuss, H. G., Clouatre, D., Mohamadi, A., & Jarrell, S. T. (2001). Wild garlic has a greater effect than regular garlic on blood pressure and blood chemistries of rats. International urology and nephrology, 32(4), 525–530. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1014417526290
  2. Bombicz, M., Priksz, D., Varga, B., Kurucz, A., Kertész, A., Takacs, A., Posa, A., Kiss, R., Szilvassy, Z., & Juhasz, B. (2017). A Novel Therapeutic Approach in the Treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Allium ursinum Liophylisate Alleviates Symptoms Comparably to Sildenafil. International journal of molecular sciences, 18(7), 1436. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18071436
  3. Rankovic, M., Krivokapic, M., Bradic, J., Petkovic, A., Zivkovic, V., Sretenovic, J., Jeremic, N., Bolevich, S., Kartashova, M., Jeremic, J., Bolevich, S., Jakovljevic, V., & Tomovic, M. (2021). New Insight Into the Cardioprotective Effects of Allium ursinum L. Extract Against Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury. Frontiers in physiology, 12, 690696. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.690696
  4. Rietz, B., Isensee, H., Strobach, H. et al. Cardioprotective actions of wild garlic (Allium ursinum) in ischemia and reperfusion. Mol Cell Biochem 119, 143–150 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00926865
  5. Stupar A, Šarić L, Vidović S, Bajić A, Kolarov V, Šarić B. Antibacterial Potential of Allium ursinum Extract Prepared by the Green Extraction Method. Microorganisms. 2022 Jul 6;10(7):1358. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10071358. PMID: 35889077; PMCID: PMC9325287.
  6. Mariana, Lupoae & Coprean, Dragomir & Dinica, Rodica-Mihaela & LUPOAE, PAUL & Gurău, Gabriela & Bahrim, Gabriela. (2013). Antimicrobial activity of extracts of wild garlic (Allium ursinum) from Romanian spontaneous flora. Scientific Study and Research: Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology, Food Industry. 14. 221-227.
  7. alina elena, Parvu & CĂTOI, Florinela & DEELAWAR, Sameera & SARUP, Darshana & Pârvu, Marcel. (2014). Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Allium ursinum</i. Notulae Scientia Biologicae. 6. 10.15835/nsb.6.1.9252.
  8. Pavlović, D. R., Veljković, M., Stojanović, N. M., Gočmanac-Ignjatović, M., Mihailov-Krstev, T., Branković, S., Sokolović, D., Marčetić, M., Radulović, N., & Radenković, M. (2017). Influence of different wild-garlic (Allium ursinum) extracts on the gastrointestinal system: spasmolytic, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology, 69(9), 1208–1218. https://doi.org/10.1111/jphp.12746
  9. Vivek D. Savairam, Neha A. Patil, Shrikant R. Borate, Mahesh M. Ghaisas, Rajkumar V. Shete, Allicin: A review of its important pharmacological activities, Pharmacological Research - Modern Chinese Medicine, Volume 8, 2023, 100283, ISSN 2667-1425, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prmcm.2023.100283.
  10. Hassanpour SH, Doroudi A. Review of the antioxidant potential of flavonoids as a subgroup of polyphenols and partial substitute for synthetic antioxidants. Avicenna J Phytomed. 2023 Jul-Aug;13(4):354-376. doi: 10.22038/AJP.2023.21774. PMID: 37663389; PMCID: PMC10474916.
  11. Khan, M. I., Karima, G., Khan, M. Z., Shin, J. H., & Kim, J. D. (2022). Therapeutic Effects of Saponins for the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer by Ameliorating Inflammation and Angiogenesis and Inducing Antioxidant and Apoptotic Effects in Human Cells. International journal of molecular sciences, 23(18), 10665. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231810665
  12. Hiyasat, Bahi & Sabha, Dina & Grotzinger, Kristina & Kempfert, Joerg & Rauwald, Hw & Mohr, Friedrich-Wilhelm & Dhein, Stefan. (2009). Antiplatelet Activity of Allium ursinum and Allium sativum. Pharmacology. 83. 197-204. 10.1159/000196811.