Native to Central Asia, garlic (Allium sativum) has been known since ancient times for its healing properties: in Egypt, the Ebers Papyrus, dating back to 1550 BC, lists 22 therapeutic uses for garlic; finally, in the Book of Exodus, it is mentioned as “the most precious possession left by the Hebrews during the flight from Egypt.” The beneficial effects of garlic are also attested by the Greek historian Herodotus, who narrates that the Egyptian pyramids were built by “slaves fed on a piece of bread, a clove of garlic, and half an onion.” In Roman times, this bulb was cited in the works of numerous authors, including Terentius Varro, Ovid, and Pliny, as a remedy against poisons, leprosy, asthma, and coughs.
