Abstract: Allicin is a sulfur compound extracted from garlic,which has the advantages of high safety,no residue,no drug resistance,wide antibacterial spectrum,no incompatibility and so on.The physiological functions of allicin include reducing blood sugar and blood pressure,anti-oxidation,enhancing immunity and inhibiting harmful bacteria,and plays a role in maintaining animal intestinal health,improving intestinal flora and regulating fat deposition in animal production.Allicin,as a feed additive,is mainly of chemical synthesis type.Diallyl disulfide is synthesized at first,and then allicin is synthesized by oxidation reaction.Allicin can also be synthesized by hydrogen peroxide,magnesium peroxy phthalate or chlorobenzoic acid oxidizing diallyl disulfide in the laboratory.In actual production,allicin can promote the growth of ruminants,improve feed digestibility,improve rumen fermentation.Allicin can also reduce rumen methane production by inhibiting the activity of methanogenic bacteria in the rumen and reducing the number of methanogenic bacteria.The authors mainly introduced the synthesis,physical and chemical properties and physiological functions of allicin,and expounded the research results and prospects of the application of allicin in ruminants,in order to provide reference for the better application of allicin in ruminant production.

Key words: allicin; ruminant; rumen; methane