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Photograph of Allium sativum L. (Garlic)
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Garlic

마늘 (大蒜) · Allium sativum L.
Interior-warming herb Warm Pungent Spleen, Stomach, Lung
NatureWarm
TastePungent
MeridiansSpleen, Stomach, Lung
Part usedBulb
FamilyAmaryllidaceae
CategoryInterior-warming herb
Find by concern: Poor appetiteDiarrheaCommon cold

Overview

Garlic sits at the very center of the Korean table and, in the Donguibogam, at the crossroads of food and medicine. Recorded as pungent and warming, it was valued for warming the digestive center, dispelling damp and cold, and — in a line that reads strikingly modern — warding off epidemic and pestilential qi.

In the Donguibogam

東醫
寶鑑
性溫, 味辛, 有毒. 主散癰腫, 除風濕, 去瘴氣, 爛痃癖, 破冷除風, 建脾溫胃, 止霍亂轉筋, 辟溫疫.
Source: Donguibogam, Tangaek-pyeon (Herbology volume)
TranslationIts nature is warm, its taste pungent, and it has toxicity. It chiefly disperses swellings, removes wind-damp, dispels miasmic qi, fortifies the spleen and warms the stomach, stops cholera-like cramping, and wards off epidemic pestilence.

Traditional functions

  • Warms the middle, fortifies the spleen
  • Dispels damp and cold
  • Disperses swellings and sores
  • Traditionally noted to ward off epidemic qi

Traditional applications

  • Poor appetite from a cold stomach
  • Damp-cold digestive upset
  • Cold-pattern diarrhea
  • Traditional preventive use in epidemic seasons

Traditional preparation

Used as food and medicine; classically roasted or aged to temper its toxicity and harshness.

Cautions

Caution: The Donguibogam records garlic as having toxicity and cautions against excess, noting it can harm the eyes and blood over time. Traditionally avoided in heat-excess patterns and with eye disorders. Raw garlic irritates the stomach. Consult a professional.

Frequently asked questions

Did the Donguibogam really record garlic against epidemics?

Yes — it lists warding off "epidemic pestilence" (溫疫) among garlic’s actions, reflecting a long folk tradition of using pungent, aromatic foods during outbreaks. This is a historical record, not a modern medical claim.

Is raw or cooked garlic better in tradition?

Classical sources note garlic’s toxicity and harshness, and it was often roasted or processed to temper it. Raw garlic is more irritating to the stomach and eyes in the traditional view.

Sources

  • 동의보감 탕액편 (원문) — 한문 원문 발췌 — 한의학고전DB 탕액편 대조 검증 완료 (DATA-001)
  • 한의학고전DB (mediclassics.kr) — 국역 참조 후 자체 재서술 (LEGAL-001)
DonguiHub is an educational and informational platform about the history and tradition of Korean medicine. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about health conditions and before using any herb.