The all-natural ‘cure’ for Covid and the flu: Common kitchen staple ‘kills viruses with 99 per cent effectiveness’, Australian study finds
- Garlic varieties ‘reduce contagiousness’ by as much as 99 percent, researchers say
- Follows 18 months of in vitro testing with garlic against Covid and flu
- But not everyone agrees, with experts warning against ‘home remedies’
Garlic grown in Australia could hold the key to fighting Covid-19 and the flu, a study finds.
The initial study from Melbourne’s Doherty Institute found that unique varieties of garlic could reduce the infectivity of the viruses by up to 99 percent.
‘We could hardly detect any remaining virus genome, which indicates that it is almost completely virucidal [virus-destroying] activity,” said the institute’s Julie McAuley.
The research published Wednesday involved 18 months of in vitro testing of garlic ingredients against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza type A viruses.
The research was commissioned by Australian Garlic Producers, which markets the most effective garlic varieties and their extracted ingredient.
The new garlic extraction process is subject to a recently filed international patent.
Garlic grown in Australia could hold the key to fighting Covid and the flu, a study finds. The initial study from Melbourne’s Doherty Institute found that unique varieties of garlic could reduce the infectivity of the viruses by up to 99 percent. (stock image)
“Our extensive research over many years…has shown that garlic varieties differ not only in their agronomic and physiological properties, but also in their biochemical properties,” said the company’s CEO Nick Diamantopoulos.
“This kind of detailed analysis is the main reason that led to the identification of unique and specific garlic varieties with superior properties.”
Martin Elhay, director of business development at the Doherty Institute, welcomed the latest findings and said the organization is committed to the global effort to contain the spread of Covid-19.
In the past, health authorities have dismissed garlic’s supposed Covid-fighting properties as a “myth.”
The research published Wednesday involved 18 months of in vitro testing of garlic ingredients against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza type A viruses. (stock image)
Brett Sutton, Victoria’s chief health officer, posted a “fact-check” tweet from the World Health Organization in February 2020, reminding his followers, “I love garlic, but I’m not going to rely on it to protect me.”
And the academically-tinted news website The Conversation published an article in March of that year warning of “home remedies” such as garlic.
Professor Peter Collignon, professor of microbiology at the Australian National University, said on Wednesday he was skeptical of the findings.
Garlic was also strongly advocated by some as a cure for HIV over 40 [years] past. But it didn’t work,” Professor Collignon tweeted.
‘Chemicals in plants and nature will be active (eg penicillin and quinine). But it takes a lot of searching and then a lot of research to find one. Plus chance to find something in just [one] plant eg garlic, is very low.’