Studies have found that allicin play an antibacterial role in Garlic Extract Powder.
How Does Allicin Come From?
Allicin can be directly extracted from garlic or produced by synthetic method. There is no free allicin in the bulbs of fresh garlic. But it contains two substances, alliin and alliinase. They are in a state of independent and stable existence under natural conditions. Alliin and allinase come into contact with each other only after garlic has been processed or subjected to physical and mechanical crushing. At this time, the alliase in garlic is activated to catalyze the decomposition of alliin, thereby generating allicin.
Why Is Allicin Antibacterial?
The unique molecular structure of allicin gives it a strong garlic smell. Its bactericidal effect is mainly due to the unique physiological activity of allyl sulfide in it. Allicin can produce a certain amount of physiologically active sulfur-containing groups after being absorbed in the body. Many sulfur-containing groups are known to be effective fungicides, which can disrupt physiological processes such as bacterial protein synthesis.
Allicin and various components of its decomposition products can enter the cytoplasm through the cell membrane of pathogenic bacteria and react with cysteine. Make bacteria unable to carry out biological oxidation due to lack of cysteine. Therefore, the bacteria cannot carry out normal metabolism.
Allicin competitively inhibits sulfhydryl oxidation and sulfhydryl compounds. It inhibits the activity of thiol enzymes on which the growth and reproduction of microorganisms depend. The growth of microorganisms cannot reach the logarithmic growth phase, thereby preventing metabolism and acting as an antibacterial.
Summary
It has been reported that the antibacterial potency of 1 mg of allicin is equal to that of 15 IU of penicillin. That is to say, the germicidal power of garlic is one hundred times that of penicillin. Salmonella typhi, Shigella, and Staphylococcus will be killed when they encounter allicin at a concentration of 1/80,000. Due to the antibacterial properties of allicin and its origin from natural green plants, it is inevitable as a natural and safe preservative.