Ethiop Med J. 2002 Jul; 40(3): 241-9.

Investigation on the antibacterial properties of garlic (Allium sativum) on pneumonia causing bacteria.

Dikasso D, Lemma H, Urga K, Debella A, Addis G, Tadele A, Yirsaw K.

Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute, P.O. Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The antibacterial activity of the crude aqueous extract of garlic was investigated against some pneumonia causing bacteria by an agar dilution technique. The results revealed that Streptococcus pneumoniae standard test organism was completely inhibited by 7.8 mg/ml of media and the clinical isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae was completely inhibited by 24.38 mg/ml of media, indicating that Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most sensitive and Klebsiella pneumoniae the least. Garlic could be used as an effective antibacterial agent for these pathogenic microorganisms.