Family : Liliaceae

English : Garlic

Hindi : Lasun

Gujarati : Lasan

Sanskrit : Lasunah

Part used : Bulb

Botanical Description: A scapigerous foetid perrenial herb with underground compound bulbs covered over by outer white thin scales and with simple smooth round stem surrounded at the bottom by tubular leaf sheath; leaves radica;, simple, long, flat, linear, flowers small white in round umbles mixed with small bulbils. The emtire umbel is enclosed in a tear drop shaped membranous spathe, flowers usually sterile. Flowering and fruiting from Febuary to April.

It is found and cultivated throughout India .

Modern Pharmacological Action: Extracts of A. sativum showed antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and anti cancer activities. Garlic inhibited clastogenic and cytotoxic effects of arsenic. It prevented mutagenesis, cataractogenesis, radiation injury, dyspepsia and depressed blood clotting time.