Garlic (Allium sativum L.): An overview of its biochemical composition, functional properties, ayurvedic, therapeutic and ethnoveterinary uses

Garlic is a bulbous herb and one of the oldest cultivated plants. It is used as a food item for culinary purposes and spice and is also regarded as traditional medicine in different parts of the world. Garlic not only adds taste to foods but also helps to make them digestible. It has high nutritional values and possesses different valuable minerals, vitamins and many other substances that contribute health benefits to human beings. It contains sugar, protein, fat, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, sulphur, iodine, fibre, silicon, and vitamins. Furthermore, garlic has many functional benefits like antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant and anti-diabetic activity. As a result, researchers worldwide are interested in ascertaining garlic's medicinal properties due to its broad-spectrum therapeutic uses in human health. This review explores all aspects of phytochemical, pharmacological and medicinal uses of garlic.