Does garlic interact metabolically with antibiotics? Trials in chickens

An important article has just been published (Li et al., 2026, Poultry Science, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2026.106629).

HEADLINE: Garlic, as potent and promising as an alternative to antibiotics, could cause metabolic interactions with some veterinary drugs due to its modulation of liver metabolism.

ABSTRACT:
Allicin, a natural compound with antibacterial and antioxidant properties, is a promising feed additive as an alternative to antibiotics.

This study investigated its impact on cytochrome P450 3A37 (CYP3A37) in broiler chickens.

The chickens were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0, 40, or 80 mg/kg of allicin for 42 days. In vivo results revealed a biphasic effect: CYP3A37 activity was induced on day 14 but was significantly inhibited on days 28 and 42.

This inhibition was accompanied by downregulation of CYP3A37 mRNA and protein expression. Consequently, allicin (80 mg/kg) altered the pharmacokinetics of the CYP3A37 substrate, dapsone, increasing its AUC and decreasing its clearance.

In vitro assays demonstrated that allicin acts as a non-competitive inhibitor of CYP3A37 with a CI50 of 57.31 µM and a K? of 85.53 µM, in a time- and concentration-dependent manner.

IN CONCLUSION: Long-term supplementation with allicin inhibits CYP3A37, posing a potential risk of drug interactions in veterinary practice.