Garlic May Help Cystic Fibrosis Patients

British researchers are determining if garlic can help cystic fibrosis patients avoid a potentially fatal infection.

University of Nottingham researchers are trying to determine if taking garlic capsules can disrupt the communication system of the pathogen Pseudomonas to prevent illness from taking hold.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most common causes of chronic infection in cystic fibrosis patients. Current treatment aims to eradicate it when it first appears. If the infection becomes established it may be suppressed with antibiotic nebulizers; however, these have a major impact on quality of life for the patient because they are time-consuming and often the patient still has to be admitted to hospital for more intensive treatment.

The garlic components inhibit a bacterial communication system called quorum sensing, or QS, said Dr. Alan Smyth of the university’s School of Human Development. This is responsible for the germ forming tenacious colonies in the lungs called ‘biofilms’ — the QS molecules also switch on bacterial weapons such as ‘elastase’ — an enzyme which breaks down elastic tissue in the lung.