A HERBAL remedy popular with HIV patients could be interfering with their
drugs. Garlic supplements can halve blood levels of the protease inhibitor
saquinavir, say researchers at the US National Institutes of Health. Ironically,
patients take garlic because it is thought to combat high blood
cholesterol鈥攁 side effect of treatments for HIV.
A team led by Stephen Piscitelli and Judith Falloon gave saquinavir to nine
volunteers who did not have HIV. When they also took garlic capsules twice a
day, the levels of saquinavir in their blood dropped by half, the researchers
report in this week鈥檚 online edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases. The
effects persisted 10 days after stopping the garlic. 鈥淒octors and patients
should be cautious about using garlic supplements during HIV therapy,鈥� says
Falloon.