① The main source of garlic flavor is allicin, which degrades into various sulfur-containing organic compounds when exposed to light, heat or organic solvents, forming a unique flavor of garlic (Freeman et al., 2000).
② It has broad-spectrum antibacterial effect. Using allicin to prevent and treat human, livestock, aquatic animals and other intestinal diseases is very effective.
③ It can obviously reduce blood cholesterol, inhibit platelet aggregation, prevent and treat hyperlipidemia, thrombosis and anti-atherosclerosis. It also has the functions of lowering blood pressure and stabilizing blood sugar.
④ It can enhance the function of macrophages in the stomach and inhibit the growth of nitrate-reducing bacteria, thus reducing the content of nitrite in the gastrointestinal tract and preventing the occurrence of gastric cancer and rectal cancer. Garlic essential oil can participate in the normal division and repair of cellular genetic material DNA. Garlic relies on its sulfur-containing compound allicin to competitively bind nitrite, thus blocking the chemical synthesis of nitrosamines in human body, thus preventing and inhibiting the occurrence of tumors. In addition, garlic oil can enhance human immunity.
⑤ It has health care function. Allicin has better antioxidant activity in vitro than ginseng, and its activity of inhibiting superoxide dismutase in vivo (for liver) is also higher than ginseng. Allicin can slow down human aging.
⑥ When applied to cosmetic ingredients, it can be made into cosmetics with good beauty and health care effects, and has the functions of nourishing skin, whitening, anti-wrinkle and sun protection. Allicin can react with vitamin B to produce garlic thiamine, which can promote the absorption of vitamin B by human body.