Wild Garlic

Alli ursini folium – Leaf of wild garlic
Allium ursinum – Allia ceae

Wild garlic is a perennial herbaceous plant. It is characterized by a metamorphosed underground shoot-bulb. The bulb is upright, 2-5 cm long, covered with white-yellow leaves. Two leaves emerge from the bulb, the leaf is elliptical, with a sharp tip, green in color. At the base, the leaf tapers into a long petiole. The stem is triangular in cross-section, and white flowers gathered in shield-shaped inflorescences develop at its top. The fruit is in the shape of a cocoon, with triangular red seeds.

Wild garlic is a type of wild plant, an edible plant that smells similar to garlic. It is also known by other names, such as wood garlic, Eurasian wild garlic, bear’s garlic. It grows in moist deciduous forests of Europe and some parts of Asia. All parts of the plant are edible, so for consumption, the leaves are harvested before flowering.

Wild garlic contains a high content of sulfur and is important for maintaining the health of the digestive tract (it affects the proper balance of the intestinal microbiota) and the whole organism, as well as for the elimination of heavy metals from the organism. The active ingredients of wild garlic are allicin and thiosulfinate, which are responsible for lowering lipids (lowering the level of LDL-cholesterol and increasing the level of good or HDL-cholesterol), preventing blood clotting and lowering blood pressure. The previously mentioned effects of wild garlic reflect its cardioprotective action.

In addition to the mentioned ingredients, sremuš also contains ajoene, which occupies an important place as a substance that helps in the treatment of melanoma and some forms of leukemia, as well as adenosine, which has a very favorable effect on maintaining normal blood pressure values. It also shows antioxidant activity (neutralizes free radicals), and has pronounced anti-microbial activity (acts against viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites). Due to its composition, this plant is the subject of many medical studies.

Wild Garlic

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