Abstract

INTERPLANT QUANTIFICATION OF ALLIIN CONTENT IN DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF GARLICS (ALLIUM SATIVUM L.)

Rajesh Kumar Singh*, Dr. S. N. Hiremath**, Ulhas R. Dhuppad***

Abstract

There are several herbs growing in India, some are cultivated and others are growing wild, among these herbs is well known name Garlic (Allium sativum L.) Garlic (Allium sativum) cultivated and almost globally consumed as spice or pickle Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is an erect herb of Alliaceae family, 30 to 60 cm tall bulb is on disc like stem, consisting of multiple cloves covered with common dry membrane. Each clove consists of a protective cylindrical sheath and small central bud. Leaf blade is linear, flat, and solid, 1 to 2.5 cm wide and 30 to 60 cm long, having an acute apex. Leaf sheaths form a pseudo stem, having smooth scup, round solid coiled at first, subtended by membranous, long beaked spathe splitting on one side and remaining attached to umbel. Flower mostly variable in number and sometime absent: they seldom open and may wither in bud. Seeds are seldom – if ever produced. Garlic use as spice/pickles and it contains most important medicinally active compounds like Alliin/Allicin, Di-allyl disulfide, 2-vinyl-4H-1, 3-dithiin and Ajoene. Alliin (Allicin) is cholesterol lowering and antihypertensive (Ref. see Sukhdev, 1997, Sculz et al, 1998 and Hung, 1999). Alliin is an amino acid, in presence of enzyme Alliinase, Alliin converted into Allicin and it has produce characteristic smell of garlic.

Keywords: Garlic (Allium sativum), Alliin, Allicin, Diallyl cysteine etc.