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| EVIDENCE FOR EFFICACY
(HUMAN DATA) |
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Clinical Trials
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"A strategic call to utilize Echinacea-garlic in
flu-cold seasons " (review, no abstract)
Abdullah 2000 |
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Cholesterol decreased after 8 weeks in volunteer
groups with guggulipid from 212 to 143, with allicin from 148 to
130, and with bengal gram seeds from 157 to 135
Ghorai 2000 |
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Atherosclerosis treatment with garlic lacks
clinical validation
Jepson 2000 |
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Immune-stimulation by low molecular weight
sulfur compounds in Garlic (macrophages, natural killer & killer
cells, LAK cells, increases of IL-2, TNF & IFN-gamma) make it
worthy clinical trials for cancer prevention
Lamm 2000 |
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The only cholesterol parameter that changed was
a reduced mean peak particle diameter in pattern A (large LDL)
in a study with 50 moderately hypercholesterolemic patients
Superko 2000 |
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22% of presurgical patients reported the use of
herbal remedies; especially echinacea, gingko biloba, St. John's
wort, garlic & ginseng
Tsen 2000 |
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LDL oxidation was unchanged by garlic in people
Byrne 1999 |
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Arteriosclerotic plaque volume in carotid &
femoral arteries decreased 5-18% with continuous intake of
high-dose garlic powder in a study of 152 people
Koscielny 1999 |
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Tinea was healed by ajoene (0.6%) & terbinafine
(1%) in 73% & 71% after 2 months in a study with 60 soldiers
Ledezma 1999 |
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LDL isolated from people taking 0.8 g DL-alpha-tocopherol
acetate or 2.4 g aged garlic extract (AGE) for 7 days was more
resistant to Cu2+-mediated oxidation. Raw garlic (6 g) was not
effective
Munday 1999 |
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9-18% reduction & 3% regression in plaque
volume, decrease in LDL 4%, increase in HDL 8%, lowered blood
pressure 7% and opening of K(Ca) ion channels were found in a
prospective, 4-year clinical trial of garlic
Siegel 1999 |
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No influence on serum lipoproteins, cholesterol
absorption, or cholesterol synthesis in a crossover study with
25 moderate hypercholesterolemia patients
Berthold 1998 |
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New rigorously designed controlled studies show
less evidence for lipid lowering properties of garlic; a review
Berthold 1998 |
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Total cholesterol, triglycerides & platelet
thromboxane formation decreased and HDL increased in 30 coronary
artery disease patients taking garlic for 3 months compared with
a placebo group. There was no effect on fibrinogen & glucose
levels
Bordia 1998 |
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No significant lipid or lipoprotein changes with
300 mg of garlic powder (Kwai) 3 times per day for 12 weeks in a
double blind study with 40 hypercholesterolemia patients
Isaacsohn 1998 |
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"The effect of garlic on hypercholesterolemia in
renal transplant patients " (no abstract)
Lash 1998 |
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No significant effect on cholesterol levels by
garlic extract (Kwai 300 mg, 3 times a day) in 30 teens with
familial hyperlipidemia having fasting total cholesterol over
4.8 mmol/L (> 185 mg/dL)
McCrindle 1998 |
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Platelet aggregation induced by epinephrine or
collagen were decreased by aged garlic extract vs. placebo in a
10-month study with moderately hypercholesterolemic men.
Platelet adhesion to fibrinogen was reduced 30%
Steiner 1998 |
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Pulse wave velocity (PWV) &
pressure-standardized elastic vascular resistance (EVR) were
lower in the garlic group of 101 people who took 300 mg/d garlic
for over 2 years than in matched controls
Breithaupt-Grogler 1997 |
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"Immunologic aspects of alisate in diabetes
mellitus patients " (Russian, no abstract)
Mel'chinskaia 1997 |
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Decreases in cholesterol (11%), triglyceride
(34%), LDL (10%) & HDL (19%) in 40 hyperlipid patients who added
fish oil (1800 mg EPA + 1200 mg docosahexanoic acid) with garlic
powder (1200 mg) capsules
Morcos 1997 |
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No benefit by 900 mg/day dried garlic powder (standardised
@ 1.3% allicin) in 115 individuals with 6.0-8.5 mmol/l total
cholesterol & 3.5 mmol/l LDL, in contrast to previous
meta-analyses that showed reduction in total cholesterol of
-0.65 mmol/l
Neil 1996 |
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Decreases in cholesterol 7%, LDL 4% & systolic
blood pressure 5.5% by 7.2 g aged garlic extract/d for 6 mo in a
double-blind crossover study of 41 moderately
hypercholesterolemic men, 5.7-7.5 mmol/L (220-290 mg/dL)
Steiner 1996 |
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Combined treatment of gonococcal arthritis by
acupuncture, garlic moxibustion, pricking blood, cupping and
drawing hydrarthrus benefited 85% of 116 patients
Wang 1996 |
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Colorectal polyps risk is lowered by vegetables
0.47, fruits 0.65, grains 0.55 and by high carotenoid
vegetables, cruciferae, high vitamin C fruits, garlic, and tofu
in a study of 488 matched pairs after sigmoidoscopy
Witte 1996 |
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Cholesterol decreased 20%, thromboxane decreased
80% and serum glucose was unchanged after 26 weeks of consuming
one clove (about 3 g) of fresh garlic daily
Ali 1995 |
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Unchanged plasma cholesterol, LDL, HDL,
triglycerides, or blood pressure in a double-blind, crossover
study with hypercholesterolaemia (5.5-8.05 mmol/l) taking Kwai
garlic powder tablets 300 mg three times daily for 12 weeks
Simons 1995 |
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Acetaminophen metabolism was nearly unaffected
in 16 people taking garlic extract (equivalent to 6-7 cloves)
for 3 months
Gwilt 1994 |
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Meta analysis of 16 trials with 952 subjects
found total cholesterol & serum triglyceride were lowered by
garlic
Silagy 1994 |
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Meta analysis of 8 trials with 415 subjects
found 3 had reduced systolic blood pressure and 4 lower
diastolic blood pressure but more-rigorously designed and
analysed trials are needed
Silagy 1994 |
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Total cholesterol & LDL decreased modestly in a
study with 42 people with cholesterol over 220 mg/dl taking 900
mg/d garlic powder tablets for 12 weeks
Jain 1993 |
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43 patients with high cholesterol (230-390) had
a modest lowering by garlic-ginkgo combination compared with
placebo
Kenzelmann 1993 |
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Peripheral arterial occlusive disease stage II
improved slightly in a 12-week study with garlic powder (800
mg/d)
Kiesewetter 1993 |
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Infants who had no exposure to garlic in their
mothers' milk during the experimental period spent more time
breast-feeding after their mothers ingested garlic capsules
Mennella 1993 |
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Meta analysis of 5 (out of 28) studies finds
cholesterol decreased in garlic groups by 9%
Warshafsky 1993 |
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Infant thrush treatment with 0.06/1000 allicin
Zhang 1992 |
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Vasodilation of precapillary arterioles by
garlic powder (Kwai, 900 mg) in humans which increases the
diameter of erythrocyte column by 8.6%
Jung 1991 |
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Spontaneous thrombocyte aggregation disappeared,
skin microcirculation increased 47.6% and decreases in plasma
viscosity by 3.2%, diastolic blood pressure by 9.5% and blood
glucose by 11.6%
Kiesewetter 1991 |
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Giardia & Hymenolepis treatment with garlic in
36 children
Soffar 1991 |
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Ascaris lumbricoides was not reduced by garlic,
8 gm/d for 5 days to children, as an infusion
Campos 1990 |
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Improvement of blood fluidity and increased
fibrinolytic activity by garlic in a double blind study
Kiesewetter 1990 |
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Lower total cholesterol, triglycerides and blood
pressure in a double-blind study of 40 hypercholesterolaemic
patients taking 900 mg/d garlic powder (equivalent to 2,700 mg
fresh garlic
Vorberg 1990 |
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Methodlolgical shortcomings in clinical trials
with garlic
Kleijnen 1989 |
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"Garlic and diabetes mellitus phase II clinical
trial " (no abstract)
Sitprija 1987 |
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Fibrinolytic activity increased by 72% and 63%
within 6 h of administration of raw or fried garlic,
respectively
Chutani 1981 |
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Cholesterol decreased in people taking 10 g of
raw garlic daily with their diet for two months
Bhushan 1979 |
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Observational Studies/Case Reports
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Review of evidence for echinacea, garlic,
ginger, ginkgo, St John's wort, and valerian
Barrett 1999 |
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Helicobacter pylori was eliminated in only 1 of
15 people taking 300-mg tablets of dried garlic powder (Li 114;
Lichtwer) 3 times a day for 8 weeks
Ernst 1999 |
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Urea breath test was unchanged in 12
Helicobacter pylori infected adults eating fresh garlic (10
sliced cloves) or capsaicin (six sliced fresh jalapenos)
Graham 1999 |
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Hepatopulmonary syndrome & arterial oxygenation
improved in some of the 15 patients taking garlic powder
capsules daily for 6 months
Abrams 1998 |
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"Effects of eifitol on lipid metabolism in
patients with clinically different ischemic heart diseases "
(Russian, no abstract)
Panchenko 1997 |
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'The effect of garlic preparation alisat on the
level of lipid peroxidation products, activity of various
antioxidant enzymes, and blood level of lipoproteins in patients
with atherosclerosis " (Russian, no abstract)
Mikhin 1996 |
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Odor of amniotic fluid of pregnant women 45
minutes after ingesting garlic oil
Mennella 1995 |
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Hepatopulmonary syndrome modest improvement in a
patient who declined liver transplantation and took large daily
doses of powdered garlic
Caldwell 1992 |
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"A comparative study of the efficacy of garlic
and eugenol as palliative agents against dental pain of pulpal
origin " (no abstract)
Diaz 1985 |
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"Sporotrichosis treated with garlic juice. A
case report " (no abstract)
Tutakne 1983 |
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"Garlic in cryptococcal meningitis: a
preliminary report of 21 cases " (no abstract)
anon 1980 |
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"The use of garlic phytoncides in the treatment
of pulpitis and periodontitis " (Russian, no abstract)
Vital'eva 1968 |
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Traditional and Folk Use
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Garlic & onion are among the oldest cultivated
plants. The antimicrobial, antithrombotic, antitumor,
hypolipidaemic, antiarthritic and hypoglycemic activities are
reviewed
Ali 2000 |
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Garlic & ginseng are consistently among the
biggest selling supplements. Garlic & lecithin were the most
used supplements in the third National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey (NHANES III)
Radimer 2000 |
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Antihelmintics of Central Italy are Ruta,
Cucurbita, Artemisia & Allium sativum while antiparasitics are
Juglans, Lupinus, Ruta, Fraxinus, Datura, Artemisia & Allium
cepa
Guarrera 1999 |
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Colorectal cancer is associated with a diet high
in refined grains & red meat and low in vegetables, coffee &
garlic in a study of 223 patients compared with 491 controls
Levi 1999 |
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Attacks of paroxysmal dystonic choreoathetosis,
a rare genetic disorder mapped to chromosome 2q31-36, are
believed by patients to be softened by eating garlic
Matsuo 1999 |
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Gastric cancer incidence is low in Jiangsu
Province, China, where there is high consumption of raw
vegetables, fruit, tomatoes, kidney beans, soy & raw garlic
Takezaki 1999 |
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345 breast cancer patients compared with matched
controls found risk is reduced by fiber, garlic & onions
Challier 1998 |
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328 prostate cancer patients compared with
matched controls found risk lowered by carotene (0.65), zinc
(0.73), B vitamins (0.70), garlic (0.56), beans (0.57)
Key 1997 |
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Among 626 hypertensive/diabetic patients 2/3 use
herbal medicine. Most used by hypertension patients were Allium
sativum, Olea europea, Arbutus unedo, Urtica dioica &
Petroselinum crispum
Ziyyat 1997 |
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Colon & rectum carcinoma were not associated
with garlic nor leek consumption in the 150-item food frequency
questionnaire of the Netherlands Cohort Study with 120,852
people
Dorant 1996 |
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Breast cancer was not associated with garlic nor
leek consumption in the 150-item food frequency questionnaire of
the Netherlands Cohort Study with 120,852 people
Dorant 1995 |
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Antimutagenic/anticarcinogenic potential of some
commonly consumed spices & vegetables such as turmeric, mustard,
green leafy & allium species; a review
Krishnaswamy 1995 |
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Colon cancer is inversely associated with
consumption of garlic and total vegetables in the Iowa Women's
Health Study of 41,837 women aged 55-69 who completed a 127-item
food frequency questionnaire
Steinmetz 1994 |
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Allium sativum & Chenopodium ambrosoides were
used as anthelmintics in rural Guatemala
Booth 1993 |
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Review of evidence of garlic for prevention of
cancer in humans is not conclusive but warrants further research
Dorant 1993 |
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"Antibacterial activity of garlic and onions: a
historical perspective " (no abstract)
Farbman 1993 |
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Dietary of the previous 10 years of 268
endometrial cancer patients compared with matched controls found
risk increased with fat & protein and lower with fruit & Allium
Shu 1993 |
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"Garlic as cultural historical medicinal
plant--truth or superstition? " (no abstract)
Johansson 1992 |
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Interviews with 564 gastric cancer patients vs.
1131 controls indicates lower risk with fresh vegetables,
including garlic
You 1991 |
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Early remedies for chronic bronchitis included
garlic, pepper, cinnamon & turpentine. Later therapies
emphasized coffee, ipecac & potassium nitrate. Modern
bronchodilators derived from traditional folk remedies:
ephedrine, atropine & theophylline
Ziment 1991 |
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Effects of fractions from Chinese drugs "xiebai"
& "dasuan" (roots of Allium bakeri & A. sativum, respectively)
on human platelet aggregation
Okuyama 1989 |
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Folk use and continued popularity of ginseng and
garlic
Dubick 1986 |
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Bulgarian traditional medicine in the Middle
Ages with discussion about garlic
Petkov 1986 |
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"The medical uses of garlic--fact and fiction "
(no abstract)
Bolton 1982 |
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Garlic has had a firm place in folk medicine
since ancient times. Modern study shows antimicrobial action,
lowering of cholesterol, vascular effects and inhibition of
thrombocyte aggregation
Ernst 1981 |
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"Effect of dietary garlic and onion on serum
lipid profile in Jain community " (no abstract)
Sainani 1979 |
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"Medicinal uses of common Indian vegetables "
(no abstract)
Vohora 1973 |
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Contraindications
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Review of the pharmacology, efficacy, safety,
and pharmokinetics St. John's Wort, chromium, and garlic used
for depression, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia,
respectively. Safety with renal patients is unstudied
Duncan 1999 |
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Review of herb-drug interactions suggests
Feverfew, garlic, Ginkgo, ginger, and ginseng may alter bleeding
time and should not be used concomitantly with warfarin
Miller 1998 |
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"Effects of aspirin and garlic on cyclooxygenase-induced
chemiluminescence in human term placenta " (no abstract)
Das 1997 |
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"Garlic as a possible risk for postoperative
bleeding " (case report, no abstract)
Burnham 1995 |
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"Garlic and the risk of TURP bleeding " (case
report, no abstract)
German 1995 |
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Collagen induced platelet aggregation decreased
with garlic extract in humans but concentrations were higher
than normally attainable
Morris 1995 |
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"Garlic and postoperative bleeding " (no
abstract)
Petry 1995 |
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Adverse Effects & Toxicity
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Anti-alliinase antibodies in human serum contain
the motif-GKXVXX-
Tchernychev 2000 |
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Role of certain foods--including garlic, onion &
leeks in provoking and exacerbating pemphigus (skin disease)
Brenner 1999 |
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"Severe toxic contact dermatitis caused by
garlic " (no abstract)
Eming 1999 |
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Case of a patient with a positive type-IV patch
test for diallyl disulfide and strong, non-irritant reactions
after 20 min and 24 hrs in the scratch chamber test with fresh
total garlic
Jappe 1999 |
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Colchicum autumnale confused with wild garlic (Allium
ursinum) resulted in death of one and a 3-day episode of nausea,
vomiting and watery diarrhea in the other person
Klintschar 1999 |
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Case of anaphylactic reaction after eating young
garlic in a woman with prior history of allergy &
exercise-induced anaphylaxis who had IgE-binding bands at 12 kDa
to young garlic, garlic, onion & leek extracts
Perez-Pimiento 1999 |
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"A case of garlic allergy " (no abstract)
Asero 1998 |
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Garlic sensitization was shown by a bronchial
challenge test in 7 out of 12 garlic workers
Anibarro 1997 |
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Occupational dermatitis of the fingers from
onion, garlic & tulips
Bruynzeel 1997 |
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Time for the first platelet aggregate to appear
in pial arterioles was delayed by 100 mg/kg garlic or by 25
mg/kg aspirin (acetyl salicylic acid)
el-Sabban 1997 |
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Low doses of garlic (50 mg/kg) to rats had
little effect on lung & liver tissues as compared to controls
whereas high doses (500 mg/kg) resulted in profound changes in
lung & liver tissues
Alnaqeeb 1996 |
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"Can inhalation of garlic dust cause asthma? "
(no abstract)
Armentia 1996 |
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Allergic contact dermatitis to garlic usually
has a typical clinical presentation but can be masked by another
form of hand dermatitis. Patch testing with 1% diallyl disulfide
in petrolatum is recommended if suspected
Delaney 1996 |
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"Garlic burns mimicking herpes zoster " (no
abstract)
Farrell 1996 |
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Of 1000 dermatology patients, 5 had occupational
(food handling) allergy to spices, including garlic, cinnamon,
ginger, allspice and clove. Although rare, it should not be
overlooked
Kanerva 1996 |
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A case of occupational asthma caused by several
aromatic herbs: thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and garlic, the
latter inducing greatest RAST reactivity
Lemiere 1996 |
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Case of superficial pemphigus associated with
eating garlic
Ruocco 1996 |
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Pemphigus is induced, in vitro, with skin
samples from patients cultured with allylmercaptan,
allylmethylsulfide & allylsulfide from garlic
Brenner 1995 |
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"Effects of garlic extract on platelet
aggregation " (no abstract)
Myers 1995 |
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Human serum contains natural antibodies to
alliinase (Alliin lyase) and mannose-specific lectin from garlic
Tchernychev 1995 |
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Pollen allergy patients have more food
allergies, especially peanut, garlic, tomato, onion; and fruits,
such as peach; and animal foods, such as egg (white) and pork
Boccafogli 1994 |
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"Garlic-induced systemic contact dermatitis "
(case report, no abstract)
Burden 1994 |
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Ornithine decarboxylase activity (ODC) is
increased by allyl mercapton which might contribute to
hepatocarcinogenesis
Takada 1994 |
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"Garlic burns " (case report, no abstract)
Garty 1993 |
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"Three cases of occupational asthma and rhinitis
caused by garlic " (no abstract)
Seuri 1993 |
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A single large dose, 500 mg/kg i.p. decreased
liver enzymes whereas 50 mg/kg i.p. for 5 days increased them in
rats
Dalvi 1992 |
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"Allergic contact dermatitis from garlic " (no
abstract)
McFadden 1992 |
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300 & 600 mg/kg/24 h of a Garlic bulb aqueous
extract for 21 days causes toxic effects in rats
Fehri 1991 |
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8 patients developed contact dermatitis after
rubbing the cut end of a fresh garlic bulb onto the skin to
treat fungal and other infections at the groin, neck, lower
limb, hand or face. Patch tests with garlic extract were all
negative
Lee 1991 |
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"Allergic contact dermatitis due to garlic (Allium
sativum) " (no abstract)
Lembo 1991 |
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"An equine case of urticaria associated with dry
garlic feeding " (no abstract)
Miyazawa 1991 |
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Increased weight of seminal vesicles &
epididymides of male mice after 3 months of garlic water extract
in drinking water (100 mg/kg/d)
al-Bekairi 1990 |
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"Factitial dermatitis induced by application of
garlic " (case report, no abstract)
Kaplan 1990 |
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Case of spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma
causing paraplegia secondary to a qualitative platelet disorder
from excessive garlic ingestion
Rose 1990 |
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Rise in urea & D-aspartate aminotransferase and
inhibition of alkaline phosphatase in serum in rats fed garlic
extract (20 ml/kg) for 10 days. Garlic oil (100 mg/kg) caused
lethal acute pulmonary oedema
Joseph 1989 |
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"Contact allergy to garlic used for wound
healing " (no abstract)
Bojs 1988 |
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Botulism associated with commercial chopped
garlic in soybean oil
St Louis 1988 |
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Hand eczema among 50 caterers was associated
with fish & garlic
Cronin 1987 |
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Case of a child who sustained partial thickness
burns from a garlic-petroleum jelly plaster
Parish 1987 |
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Sperm motility was inhibited by 7.5 mg/ml of
allitridum from garlic
Qian 1986 |
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Case report and literature review of allergy to
onion & garlic, usually an eczema of the fingertips. Risk groups
include grocers, housewives & cooks
Lautier 1985 |
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Genotoxic effects of orally administered garlic
and turmeric were not found with bone-marrow cells of mice
Abraham 1984 |
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LD50 of garlic extract by P.O., I.P. & S.C.
administration were estimated over 30 ml/kg in rats & mice
Nakagawa 1984 |
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"Suspected wild garlic poisoning in sheep " (no
abstract)
Stevens 1984 |
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Garlic-sensitive patients showed positive tests
to diallyldisulfide, allylpropyldisulfide, allylmercaptan and
allicin
Papageorgiou 1983 |
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Erratic pulse rates & abnormal ECG, weight loss,
lethargy, dehydration & tender skin in toxicological test of
garlic in 8 rats for 28 days
Ruffin 1983 |
|
|
"Immediate and delayed sensitization to garlic "
(case report, no abstract)
Campolmi 1982 |
|
|
"Occupational allergy secondary inhalation of
garlic dust " (no abstract)
Couturier 1982 |
|
|
"Effects of chronic administration of garlic (Allium
sativum Linn) on testicular function " (no abstract)
Dixit 1982 |
|
|
Repeated exposure to garlic dust induced severe
asthma in an atopic patient who also had high levels of garlic
specific IgE
Lybarger 1982 |
|
|
Case of garlic dust precipitated asthma in a
person with IgE anti-garlic antibodies
Falleroni 1981 |
|
|
"Contact dermatitis caused by Allium sativum "
(Romanian case report, no abstract)
Martinescu 1981 |
|
|
"Contact sensitivity to garlic (Allium) " (case
report, no abstract)
Mitchell 1980 |
|
|
"Occupational eczema from garlic and onion " (no
abstract)
van Ketel 1978 |
|
|
53 patients with contact dermatitis on the
fingertips had positive patch tests garlic > onion > tomato >
carrot. The antigens in garlic & onion were extractable in
water, ether, acetone, or alcohol
Sinha 1977 |
|
|
Contact allergy by metal, onion & garlic in food
handlers
Hjorth 1976 |
|
|
"Contact dermatitis to garlic; crossreactivity
between garlic, onion and tulip " (no abstract)
Bleumink 1973 |
|
|
"Allergic contact dermatitis to garlic " (no
abstract)
Bleumink 1972 |
|
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"Garlic food allergy with symptoms of Meniere's
disease " (Czech, no abstract)
Benes 1966 |
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|
Interactions
|
|
Plausible cases of herb-drug interactions
include bleeding when warfarin is combined with ginkgo (Ginkgo
biloba), garlic (Allium sativum), dong quai (Angelica sinensis),
or danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza)
Fugh-Berman 2000 |
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