Chemical in garlic could help treat cystic fibrosis

GARLIC could be a secret weapon for patients with cystic fibrosis who are fighting life-threatening lung infections.

A team at Edinburgh University say the chemical found in garlic – known as allicin – can be used to kill bacteria that is resistant to most antibiotics but causes serious infections for patients.

The study is the first to show that allicin, produced naturally by garlic bulbs to ward off plant pathogens found in soil, can be used to fight lung infections caused by Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc).

It is hoped the research will help improve treatment because therapies are limited and a combination of three or four antibiotics are needed.

Dr Dominic Campopiano, of Edinburgh University’s School of Chemistry, said: “The medicinal power of garlic has a rich history that dates back thousands of years but the chemical structure of allicin was only revealed in the 1940s.

“Our work s ug g e s t s modern methods should be used to further expand our knowledge of this enigmatic molecule and rejuvenate its potential applications.”

Allicin, which can be extracted by crushing raw garlic, kills Bcc by chemically modifying key enzymes but further research is needed before it can be used in new treatments.

Professor John Govan, of Edinburgh University’s C ent r e f or I n f e c t i ou s Diseases, who co-led the study, said: “At a time when novel antimicrobial agents are urgently required, chemical and microbiological research has the potential to unlock the rich reservoir of antimicrobial compounds present in plants such as garlic.”