Garlic proves a potential weapon against UTI

According to a study published in the Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science, garlic extract could prove effective in combating animicrobial resistant strains of pathogenic bacteria associated with urinary tract infection (UTI).

Researchers at the Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences in India found that "even crude extracts of [garlic] showed good activity against multidrug resistant strains where antibiotic therapy had limited or no effect." The discovery "provides hope for developing alternative drugs that may be of help in fighting the menace of growing antibacterial resistance."

About 150 million people worldwide are diagnosed a UTI each year. UTI is normally treated with a course of antibiotics, but as pointed out by the study's authors "emerging antimicrobial resistance compels us to look back into traditional medicines or herbal products, which may provide appropriate/acceptable alternative solutions."

Garlic has been used for the treatment of diseases since ancient times. A wide range of microorganisms — including bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses — are known to be sensitive to garlic preparations. Allicin and other sulphur compounds are thought to be the major antimicrobial factors in garlic. 

In this study, the team found that 56% of 166 bacteria strains isolated from the urine of people with UTI showed a high degree of resistance to antibiotics. However, about 82% of the antibiotic resistant bacteria were susceptible to a crude aqueous extract of Allium sativum. According to the researchers, "ours is the first study to report the antibacterial activity of aqueous garlic extract against multidrug resistant bacterial isolates from infected urine samples leading to UTI."

"To conclude, there is evidence that garlic has potential in the treatment of UTI and maybe other microbial infections," says the team. "However, it is necessary to determine the bioavailability, side effects and pharmacokinetic properties in more detail."