Garlic is part of our diet, but when consumed in excess it can cause bleeding.
Since the time of Hippocrates, garlic has been widely used in traditional medicine due to its antibiotic and antifungal properties, its high fibrinolytic activity and inhibition of platelet aggregation.
The influence of garlic on inhibiting platelet function in humans, through diet, is not yet certain, but there are some cases described in the specialized literature and several studies have shown that oily and aqueous extracts of garlic have a potent antiplatelet property.
Case reported: An 87-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with acute onset of abdominal discomfort with complete bilateral sensory and motor paralysis of the lower limbs. Before entering the hospital, you were in good health and used to work in your garden. On the day of admission, he felt acute abdominal discomfort with associated distension, took an antacid and went to rest despite not having made much physical effort previously. Approximately 30 minutes later he began to feel weakness and numbness in his lower limbs. He claimed to have never felt back pain.
You denied having taken non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin or any other medication known to cause bleeding and had no personal or family history of bleeding tendencies, however, in the previous week you noticed an abnormal tendency to form bruises. He did not smoke or drink alcohol but consumed an average of 4 cloves of garlic per day (approximately 2g) as a preventative measure against heart disease.
Pathological examination verified an acute hematoma and the bleeding time was 5 times longer than normal. The hemorrhage was caused by a qualitative, transient platelet disturbance reflected in prolonged bleeding time despite an adequate platelet count, due to chronic and excessive garlic consumption.
Bibliography:
Ken D. Rose, M. D., Paul D. Croissant, M. D., F.A.C.S., Connie F. Parliament, R.N., B.S.N., and Murray B. Levin, M.D. Spontaneus Spinal Epidural Hematoma with Associated Platelet Dysfunction from Excessive Garlic Ingestion: A case report. Neurosurgery 1990; 26 (5): 880-882.