Garlic

VARIANT NAMES: Husuan, Hu, Dusuan, Viviparous Onion.

ORIGIN: The bulb of Allium sativum [Liliaceae].

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: In every 100g of fresh garlic, there are 4.4g of protein, 0.2g of fat, 23g of carbohydrate, 5mg of calcium, 44mg of phosphorus, 0.4mg of iron, 0.24mg of thiamine, 0.03mg of ovoflavin, 0.9 mg of nicotinic acid, 3mg of vitamin C. The essential oil about 0.2 % in all consists of allicin and many kinds of thioether compounds. Garlic also contains citral, geraniol, linalool, α-phellandrene, β-phellandrene, propionic aldehyde, valeraldehyde.

NATURE FLAVOR AND CHANNEL TROPISM: Acrid in flavor and warm in nature, acting on the channels of the spleen, stomach and lung.

EFFICIENCIES AND INDICATIONS: Promoting the circulation of retained qi, warming the spleen and stomach, removing mass in the abdomen, clearing away toxic materials, destroying intestinal worms. It is used to treat retention of food in the stomach, cold sensation and pain in the abdomen, hydrops, turgor, diarrhea, dysentery, malaria, whoopy cough due to Bronchiectasis, Boils on Hand and Foot and pyogenic infections, Psoriasis and snake bite.

DIRECTIONS: To be eaten raw, mashed, or decocted for internal use. It can also be pounded to get its juice for external application to the affected part, or sliced for moxibustion at acupuncture points. Garlic being pungent in flavor and warm in nature, excessive eating will cause heat and irritation to some part of the body, so it should be avoided if one either indicates syndrome of hyperactivity of fire owing to yin deficiency or suffers from diseases in the eye, mouth or tongue.