Farzaneh Dehghani Farzaneh Dehghani , PhD, PhD Ahmad Merat, Ahmad Merat, PhDPhD Mohammad Reza Mohammad Reza

Panjehshahin ,Panjehshahin ,PhDPhD Farhad Handjani Farhad Handjani ,MD,MD

Departments of AnatomyDepartments of Anatomy Biochemistry Biochemistry PharmacologyPharmacology DermatologyDermatology Shiraz University of Medical Shiraz University of Medical

Sciences,Sciences,

Warts and corns are Warts and corns are among the commonest among the commonest conditions found in conditions found in dermatologic clinics and dermatologic clinics and different approaches are different approaches are employed for their employed for their treatment.treatment.

healing effect of both aqueous and lipid extracts of garlic on warts and corns.

no treatment for warts in the previous 2 months prior to the initiation of the study,

failure to respond to conventional treatments in the past,

and willingness to participate in the study.

Patients Twenty-eight patients with

2–96 warts, nine patients with 1–2 corns

Control group five patients with 7–35 warts

both genders

aged between 5 and 62 years

Peeled garlic was homogenized in equal weight of water in an electric blender

The lipid soluble fraction was extracted with an equal volume of chloroform: methanol (2 : 1) solution in a shaker for 20 min

After centrifugation at low speed, the two phases were allowed to separate with the cellular residues in the aqueous phase at the bottom of the tube

The chloroform : methanol phase and the aqueous phase were concentrated and collected separately

The cellular residues were discarded

In the first part of the trial, the aqueous garlic extract was applied twice daily on warts in five patients with 3–5 warts

In the second part of the trial,

23 patients with 2–96 warts (all on the hands except for two cases who had plantar warts), and nine patients with 1–2 corns on the feet, were treated by applying the lipid extract twice daily

control group two and three patients with

warts and corns, respectively,

were treated with chloroform : methanol (2 : 1) v/v solution alone for a period of 20 days

to rule out any possible effect of the lipid solvent.

Out of the 42 patients under investigation, five cases received the aqueous garlic extract for 30–40 days

disappearance of small warts and partial improvement of larger warts

Treatment with the aqueous extract of garlic needed a period of more than 2 months to achieve a partial recovery in the patients

Twenty-three patients with 2–96 warts, and nine patients with 1–2 corns, were treated by applying the lipid extract

complete recovery was observed in all cases with warts after 1–2 weeks of treatment

Seven out of nine patients with corn(s) showed complete recovery while two cases showed marked improvement close to full recovery with no further improvement on continuation of treatment

The period for the treatment of corn(s) in

this group was between

10 and 20 days

In control group flaking of the surface of the warts but with no signs of recovery

With the lipid extract, full recovery was achieved in all the patients with warts in 1–2 weeks, and it took 2–3 weeks for full recovery of approximately 80% of the corns

for the aqueous extract, the duration of treatment, which only caused a partial recovery, was 1 month for warts and approximately 2 months for corns

appearance of blister(s), redness, burning, and hyperpigmentation of the skin around the application area, which usually disappeared completely in 1–2 weeks.

Zinc oxide ointment was applied to the surrounding normal skin in all cases to prevent possible side-effects.

Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Chinese sages were aware of the pharmacological effects of garlic and used it for the treatment of various diseases.

Avicenna, the great Persian sage

and philosopher, had also mentioned the curative effect

of fresh garlic on various skin diseases in his Al-Ghannon (Canon) textbook

Hypertension Diabetes Atherosclerosis Anticarcinogenic Antiviral agent in the treatment of many

skin diseases

garlic has definite curing effects on warts and corns

whereas both aqueous and lipid extracts of garlic were effective for the treatment of corns and warts, the healing effect of the lipid extract appeared in a shorter time period and resulted in complete cure as compared with the aqueous extract

there is a better rate of improvement in younger patients (<

30 years of age)

The fat-dissolving nature of the solvent

probably caused this flaking on the

surface of warts and corns.

S-allyl-cysteine

curative properties of garlic,such as prevention of tumor growth

in individuals who had numerous warts, when only 1–2 large warts were treated:

the other small warts located in the same area disappeared

without applying any garlic extract to them

enhancement of immunological responses elicited by garlic may be responsible.

antiviral activity of garlic reduced cellular proliferation

of virally infected cells garlic also exerts its effect

through its anti-DNA activity such as idoxuridine : an anti-DNA agents

main component responsible for antiviral property : allicin

HOW?

chemical reaction with thiol groups of various enzymes, e.g. alcohol dehydrogenase,

thioreductase and RNA polymerase.

electrocautery,

Cryotherapy

application of keratolytics

These approaches are not fully successful, and in some cases warts reappear.

treatment with garlic extract resulted in no recurrence of warts during the follow-up observation period (3–4 months).

surgery, which is practiced in most

clinics, can be painful and costly

Treatment with garlic extract appears to be a more convenient modality

fibrinolytic effect of garlic

the surrounding fibrin tissue of the corn capsule was lyzed and the capsule was separated from the main tissue

chemical interaction of allicin with thiol groups, such as those present in alcoholdehydrogenase and thioredoxin-reductase, participate in the metabolism of cysteine in proteins :

as a cause for destruction of tissues, probably through disrupting the epidermal junction

It is uncertain whether one or several mechanisms are involved in and responsible for the curative properties of garlic extract in the treatment of warts and corns, necessitating further investigations to help clarify the exact mechanism(s) of action.