Aged garlic extract as a potential prophylactic to reduce the progression of endometriosis and associated pain burden
Emily Redwood, Virginie Lam, Ryusuke Takechi, Deborah A. Kerr, Connie Jackaman, Arazu Sharif, John Mamo
Abstract
Endometriosis is a complex and potentially debilitating condition that has major impact on quality of life. There is emerging evidence that biological compounds found in garlic ( Allium sativum ) may be effective for attenuating endometrial pain. Suggested mechanisms for efficacy include modulation of inflammation and potent antioxidant effects. Aged-garlic-extract (AGE) is a centuries old process describing ethanolic extracts of garlic bulbs for 12–20 months. The AGE formulation realised contains a complex array of stabilised biologics with significant immunomodulatory effects relevant to inflammatory conditions. This perspective article puts forward a hypothesis that AGE should be considered as a prophylactic to manage endometrial pain.