Effects During Pregnancy and Lactation
◉ Overview of Use During Lactation
Garlic (Allium sativum) contains alliin, which is metabolized by alliinase into allicin. Allicin is considered the source of most of garlic's medicinal properties and aroma. The garlic flavor in milk is attributed to allyl methyl sulfide. Garlic has long been used to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. In Western countries, there is no specific indication for garlic use during lactation. In India and Turkey, garlic has been used as a galactagogue, but there is currently no reliable scientific data to support its efficacy as a galactagogue alone. Lactagogues should never replace the assessment and consultation of controllable factors affecting milk production. Garlic has a long history of use as food and medicine and is recognized as a "Generally Recognized As Safe" (GRAS) food flavoring by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including during lactation. The aroma of garlic is transferred to breast milk, which may prolong the infant's sucking time in the short term and may improve the food choices of breastfed infants in the long term. It has been reported that some mothers in Turkey use garlic to improve the taste and quality of their breast milk. Limited scientific data shows that no adverse reactions have occurred in breastfeeding mothers and infants after taking garlic supplements orally for several days. When used medicinally, garlic is generally well tolerated by adults, but gastrointestinal side effects, as well as bad breath and body odor, may occur. Garlic has antiplatelet effects, so women at risk of bleeding should use it with caution. Garlic may cause allergies, and people allergic to garlic or other lily family plants (such as hyacinths, tulips, onions, leeks, and chives) should avoid it. Topical application of garlic may cause dermatitis and burns and should be used with caution, especially on infants. One breastfeeding mother suffered severe breast burns after applying raw garlic paste to her breasts for two consecutive days to treat a self-diagnosed Candida infection. Dietary supplements do not require extensive premarket approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring product safety but are not required to prove the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. Dietary supplements may contain multiple ingredients, and the ingredients listed on the label often differ from the actual ingredients or amounts. Manufacturers may commission independent organizations to verify the quality of their products or their ingredients, but this does not guarantee the product's safety and effectiveness. Given the above issues, clinical trial results for one product may not apply to others. For more detailed information on dietary supplements, please visit other pages on the LactMed website.
◉ Effects on Breastfed Infants
Maternal garlic consumption is thought to cause colic in breastfed infants. However, two papers tend to refute this claim. In one study, 153 mothers who completed questionnaires reported no significant difference in the likelihood of their infants experiencing colic in the first week compared to mothers who did not consume garlic.
In another study, researchers, in a double-blind manner, had mothers take either 1.5 grams of garlic capsules or a placebo capsule daily for three days. Afterward, researchers asked their infants if they experienced any symptoms of colic (such as irritability, increased crying, or increased gas) after taking the capsules. Four out of 20 mothers who took garlic reported their infants experiencing colic; however, four out of 10 mothers who took the placebo reported their infants experiencing colic.
◉ Effects on Lactation and Breast Milk
Forty women who complained of insufficient breast milk five days postpartum took a compound herbal supplement, Lactare (manufactured by Madras Pharma Private Ltd., India), two capsules three times daily. Each capsule contained 200 mg of wild asparagus, 100 mg of Withania somnifera, 50 mg of fenugreek, 50 mg of licorice, and 20 mg of garlic. By day 4 of treatment, none of the infants required supplemental feeding. On day 5 of treatment, the infants were weighed before and after each feeding to determine their milk intake. On the day of the weighing test, the average milk intake of the infants was 388 ml, and fluid and calorie intake was considered adequate. Because this study lacked randomization, double-blinding, placebo control, and guidance on breastfeeding techniques for the mothers, it cannot be considered valid evidence that these herbs have a galactagogue effect. Furthermore, the infants were only breastfed 6 to 8 times per day, which was insufficient to maximize milk production. In two studies conducted by the same researchers (General Nutrition Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), breastfeeding mothers took capsules containing 1.5 grams of garlic extract. In the first experiment, eight mothers took either a garlic capsule or a placebo once daily in a crossover pattern. Within 1.5 to 3 hours after the mothers took the garlic capsule (when the garlic odor in breast milk is strongest), infants whose mothers took the garlic capsule suckled for longer (33 minutes) than those who took the placebo; however, there was no difference in the total number of breastfeedings or total milk intake between the two groups. Another study randomly assigned breastfeeding mothers to two groups, one taking garlic capsules and the other a placebo, for 3 days, followed by a single capsule test under the same conditions as the first study. Infants who first ingested garlic in their breast milk breastfed for 30% longer than those who took the placebo. The study found that infants previously exposed to garlic-containing milk did not experience prolonged breastfeeding after re-exposure to garlic-containing milk. The authors suggest that these findings may have a positive impact on infants' future food choices (e.g., less picky eating).

[1]. Diallyl trisulfide induces apoptosis and inhibits proliferation of A549 cells in vitro and in vivo. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai). 2012 Jul;44(7):577-83.

[2]. Diallyl trisulfide inhibits naphthalene-induced oxidative injury and the production of inflammatory responses in A549 cells and mice. Int Immunopharmacol. 2015 Dec;29(2):326-333.

[3]. Antiviral activity of diallyl trisulfide against H9N2 avian influenza virus infection in vitro and in vivo. Virol J. 2021 Aug 19;18(1):171.

[4]. Diallyl trisulfide (DATS) effectively induced apoptosis of postharvest diseasePenicillium expansum of citrus. Annals of Microbiology. December 2009, Volume 59, Issue 4, pp 675-679.

Diallyl trisulfide is an organic trisulfide with a trithane structure in which two hydrogen atoms are replaced by allyl groups. It is a component of garlic oil and a major ingredient in the traditional Chinese medicine garlic paste, possessing antifungal, antitumor, and antioxidant activities. It can also be used as an apoptosis inducer, estrogen receptor antagonist, antitumor agent, vasodilator, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent, insecticide, antigenic animal drug, platelet aggregation inhibitor, and lipid-lowering drug. It has been reported that diallyl trisulfide is found in Allium ursinum, Allium victorialis, and other organisms with relevant data.

C6H10S3

178.3386

177.994

2050-87-5

16315

Colorless to light yellow liquid

1.1±0.1 g/cm3

229.5±43.0 °C at 760 mmHg

87.8±25.2 °C

0.1±0.4 mmHg at 25°C

1.582

4.59

0

3

6

9

70.4

0

S(C([H])([H])C([H])=C([H])[H])SSC([H])([H])C([H])=C([H])[H]

UBAXRAHSPKWNCX-UHFFFAOYSA-N

InChI=1S/C6H10S3/c1-3-5-7-9-8-6-4-2/h3-4H,1-2,5-6H2

3-(prop-2-enyltrisulfanyl)prop-1-ene

2934.99.9001

Powder      -20°C    3 years

                     4°C     2 years

In solvent   -80°C    6 months

                  -20°C    1 month

Note: Please store this product in a sealed and protected environment (e.g. under nitrogen), avoid exposure to moisture.

Room temperature (This product is stable at ambient temperature for a few days during ordinary shipping and time spent in Customs)

DMSO : ~100 mg/mL (~560.73 mM)

Solubility in Formulation 1: 2.5 mg/mL (14.02 mM) in 10% DMSO + 40% PEG300 + 5% Tween80 + 45% Saline (add these co-solvents sequentially from left to right, and one by one), suspension solution; with sonication.
For example, if 1 mL of working solution is to be prepared, you can add 100 μL of 25.0 mg/mL clear DMSO stock solution to 400 μL PEG300 and mix evenly; then add 50 μL Tween-80 to the above solution and mix evenly; then add 450 μL normal saline to adjust the volume to 1 mL.
Preparation of saline: Dissolve 0.9 g of sodium chloride in 100 mL ddH₂ O to obtain a clear solution.

---

Solubility in Formulation 2: ≥ 2.5 mg/mL (14.02 mM) (saturation unknown) in 10% DMSO + 90% (20% SBE-β-CD in Saline) (add these co-solvents sequentially from left to right, and one by one), clear solution.
For example, if 1 mL of working solution is to be prepared, you can add 100 μL of 25.0 mg/mL clear DMSO stock solution to 900 μL of 20% SBE-β-CD physiological saline solution and mix evenly.
Preparation of 20% SBE-β-CD in Saline (4°C，1 week): Dissolve 2 g SBE-β-CD in 10 mL saline to obtain a clear solution.

---

View More

Solubility in Formulation 3: ≥ 2.5 mg/mL (14.02 mM) (saturation unknown) in 10% DMSO + 90% Corn Oil (add these co-solvents sequentially from left to right, and one by one), clear solution.
For example, if 1 mL of working solution is to be prepared, you can add 100 μL of 25.0 mg/mL clear DMSO stock solution to 900 μL of corn oil and mix evenly.

---

 (Please use freshly prepared in vivo formulations for optimal results.)