Traditional Uses

• High cholesterol levels
• Antimicrobial (fights microbes such as bacteria, microscopic fungi, mycoplasmas and protozoa)
• High blood pressure
• May help to prevent cancer

Mode of Action

Contains natural sulfur-based compounds (allicin, ajoene, alliin) which
• reduce your body’s cholesterol creation
• reduce plaque formation in your blood vessels
• help dilate the blood vessels
• help decrease blood pressure
• decrease platelet aggregation
• help break up blood clots (fibrinolytic)
• are antibacterial and antifungal
• May help to prevent cancer by stimulating the immune system

Drug Interactions

• May increase effects of anticoagulant drugs ("blood thinners")
• May increase the effects of blood pressure medications
• Do not take with diabetes medication because it may cause a decrease in blood sugar levels

Cautions

• Caution in diabetes; may lower blood sugar
• If  you suffer from a clotting disorder, consult a physician before taking
• Avoid large doses during pregnancy and breast feeding
• Avoid in cases of acute or chronic stomach inflammation

Recommended Dose

• 500 mg three times a day. (Dose may vary from brand to brand)

References

• Bisset, 1994; Chevallier, 1996; Fulder, 1989; Harris, 1975; Hoffman, 1990; Newall, 1996; Tyler, 1993; Tyler, 1994; Weiner, 1994