Garlic

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Although not all side effects are known, garlic is thought to be possibly safe when taken for a short period of time.

Stop using garlic and call your healthcare provider at once if you have:

• redness, swelling, or blistering (when applied to the skin); or
• easy bruising or bleeding (nosebleeds, bleeding gums).

Common side effects (especially when eating raw garlic) may include:

• unpleasant breath or body odor;
• heartburn, burning in your mouth or throat;
• nausea, vomiting, gas or
• diarrhea.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

When considering the use of herbal supplements, seek the advice of your doctor. You may also consider consulting a practitioner who is trained in the use of herbal/health supplements.

If you choose to use garlic, use it as directed on the package or as directed by your doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare provider. Do not use more of this product than is recommended on the label.

Do not use different forms (cloves, tablets, oil, etc) of garlic at the same time without medical advice. Using different formulations together increases the risk of an overdose.

Do not crush, chew, or break an enteric coated pill. Swallow it whole. The pill has a special coating to protect your stomach. Breaking the pill will damage this coating.

Call your doctor if the condition you are treating with garlic does not improve, or if it gets worse while using this product.

Garlic can affect blood-clotting and may increase your risk of bleeding. If you need surgery, dental work, or a medical procedure, stop taking garlic at least 2 weeks ahead of time.

Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light, or as directed on the package.

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra garlic to make up the missed dose.

Evidence suggests that garlic may produce modest but not clinically significant effects in the treatment of dyslipidemia and hypertension. Traditionally, it has been used for its antiseptic and antibacterial properties, as well as for treating the common cold, upper respiratory tract infections, mild bronchitis, and rhinitis, and to relieve cough and congestion. Other potential uses include treatment of atherosclerosis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, diabetes, gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, and stomach and colon cancer; however, evidence is lacking.

Contraindicated if known allergy to garlic and its constituents.

Garlic may reduce saquinavir plasma concentrations. Caution patients taking saquinavir to limit ingestion of garlic and to avoid taking garlic supplements without consulting their health care provider. Based on available reports, no special precautions are necessary in patients eating garlic and taking warfarin. However, because warfarin has a narrow therapeutic index, caution patients against use of alternative medicines without consulting their health care provider and to report any signs of bleeding. Based on an initial study, garlic does not appear to interact with alprazolam, dextromethorphan, docetaxel, or ritonavir.

Garlic is a perennial bulb with a tall, erect flowering stem that grows up to 1 m. The leaf blade is flat, linear, solid, and approximately 1.25 to 2.5 cm wide, with an acute apex. The plant may produce pink to purple flowers that bloom from July to September in the Northern Hemisphere. The bulb is odiferous and contains outer layers of thin sheathing leaves surrounding an inner sheath that encloses the clove. Often the bulb contains 10 to 20 cloves that are asymmetrical in shape, except for those closest to the center. 2

Fresh garlic is a source of numerous vitamins, minerals, and trace elements, although most are only found in minute quantities. Garlic contains the highest sulfur content of any member of the genus Allium . Two trace elements, germanium and selenium, have detectable quantities and have been postulated to play a role in the herb's antitumor effect.

Garlic contains approximately 0.5% of a volatile oil composed of sulfur-containing compounds (diallyldisulfide, diallyltrisulfide, methylallyltrisulfide). 3 The bulbs contain an odorless, colorless, sulfur-containing amino acid called alliin (S-allyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide), which has no pharmacologic activity. 4 When the bulb is ground, the enzyme allinase is released, resulting in the conversion of alliin to 2-propenesulfenic acid, which dimerizes to form allicin. Allicin gives the pungent characteristic odor to crushed garlic and is believed to be responsible for some of the pharmacologic activity of the plant.

Garlic may reduce saquinavir plasma concentrations. Caution patients taking saquinavir to limit ingestion of garlic and to avoid taking garlic supplements without consulting their health care provider. Based on available reports, no special precautions are necessary in patients eating garlic and taking warfarin. However, because warfarin has a narrow therapeutic index, caution patients against use of alternative medicines without consulting their health care provider and to report any signs of bleeding. Based on an initial study, garlic does not appear to interact with alprazolam, dextromethorphan, docetaxel, or ritonavir.