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What is it?

Garlic is an herb used to help the heart. Garlic helps to lower fat (cholesterol) in the blood, lower high blood pressure, and reduce blood clotting. It is also an antioxidant used to protect against cancer. Garlic may be used to treat colds, lung infection (bronchitis), and the flu.

Other names for garlic include: Allium sativum , Ajo, Allicin, and Allium.


Before Using:

Tell your doctor if you

  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medicine
  • are breastfeeding


Talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse about how much garlic you should take. The amount depends on the strength of the medicine and the reason you are taking garlic. If you are using this medicine without instructions from your caregiver, follow the directions on the medicine bottle. Do not take more garlic or take it more often than what is written on the directions.

To store this medicine:


Drug and Food Interactions:

Do not take garlic without talking to your doctor first if you are taking:

  • Chlorzoxazone (Paraflex(R))
  • Indomethacin (Indocin(R))
  • Medicine for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (examples: saquinavir (Fortovase(R), indinavir (Crixivan(R), ritonavir (Norvir(R)))
  • Blood thinning medicine (examples: aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix(R)), ticlopidine (Ticlid(R)), warfarin (Coumadin(R)), enoxaparin (Lovenox(R))))


  • Before taking garlic, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Discontinue garlic 14 days before having surgery or dental work

Side Effects:



Other Side Effects:


  • Asthma (difficulty breathing) if exposed to garlic dust
  • Foul body odor or bad breath
  • Headache
  • Nausea (upset stomach) or vomiting (throwing up)
  • Rash or a burn if garlic is placed on the skin
  • Unexplained bruising or bruises that do not go away within a few days, bleeding gums, nosebleeds, or other bleeding


1. ABDA-Datenbank: Allium sativum monograph. WuV, Eschborn and Micromedex Inc, Englewood, CO; 1997.

2. Agarwal KC: Therapeutic actions of garlic constituents. Med Res Rev 1996; 16:111-124.

3. Apitz-Castro R, Escalante J, Vargas R et al: Ajoene, the antiplatelet principle of garlic, synergistically potentiates the antiaggregatory action of prostacyclin, forskolin, indomethacin, and dypiridamole on human platelets. Thromb Res 1986; 42:303-311.

4. Berthold HK, Sudhop T &amp; von Bergmann K: Effect of a garlic oil preparation on serum lipoproteins and cholesterol metabolism. A randomized controlled trial. J Am Med Assoc 1998; 279:1900-1902.

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6. Canduela V, Mongil I, Carrascosa M et al: Garlic: always good for the health (letter)? Br J Dermatol 1995; 132(1):161-162.

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8. Fachinformation: Kwai(R) N, garlic. Lichtwer Pharma GmbH; Berlin, Germany; 1997.

9. Farrell AM &amp; Staughton RCD: Garlic burns mimicking herpes zoster (letter). Lancet 1996; 347(9009):1195.

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11.Gurley BJ, Gardner SF, Hubbard MA et al: Cytochrome P450 phenotypic ratios for predicting herb-drug interactions in humans. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2002; 72(3):276-287.

12.Holzgartner H, Schmidt U &amp; Kuhn U: Comparison of the efficacy and tolerance of a garlic preparation vs bezafibrate. Arzneimittelforschung 1992; 42:1473-1477.

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14.Jung EM, Jung F, Mrowietz C et al: Influence of garlic powder on cutaneous microcirculation: a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind cross-over study in apparently healthy subjects. Arzneimittelforschung 1991; 41(6):626-630.

15.Lee TY &amp; Lam TH: Contact dermatitis due to topical treatment with garlic in Hong Kong. Contact Dermatitis 1991; 24:193-196.

16.Piscitelli SC, Burstein AH, Welden N et al: The effect of garlic supplements on the pharmacokinetics of saquinavir. Clin Infect Dis 2002; 34(2):234-238.

17.Rose KD, Croissant PD, Parliament CF et al: Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma with associated platelet dysfunction from excessive garlic ingestion: a case report. Neurosurgery 1990; 26:880-882.

18.Steiner M &amp; Li W: Aged garlic extract, a modulator of cardiovascular risk factors: a dose-finding study on the effects of AGE on platelet functions. J Nutr 2001; 131(3s):980S-984S.

19.Sunter W: Warfarin and garlic. Pharm J 1991; 246:722.

20.Yellin AS, Davidson BJ, Pinto JT et al: Relationship of glutathione and glutathione-S-transferase to cisplatin sensitivity in human head and neck squamous carcinoma cell lines. Cancer Lett 1994; 85:223-232.

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Last Updated: 1/4/2010

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