Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast

- Incurable, locally advanced or metastatic disease for which therapy with docetaxel is
a reasonable option

- No documentation of progressive disease while on docetaxel within the past 2 months

- Brain and/or leptomeningeal metastases are allowed only if all of the following
criteria are met:

- Asymptomatic on neurological examination, including after definitive
radiotherapy

- No corticosteroid therapy to control symptoms

- Stable lesions

- Hormone receptor status:

- Not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

- 18 and over

Sex

- Male or female

Menopausal Status

- Not specified

Performance status

- ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

- At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic

- Neutrophil count ≥ 1,200/mm^3

- Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

- Bilirubin normal

- ALT and AST ≤ 2 times ULN (3 times ULN with liver metastases)

Renal

- Creatinine normal OR

- Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular

- No symptomatic congestive heart failure

- No unstable angina pectoris

- No cardiac arrhythmias

Gastrointestinal

- No known gastric emptying disorders

- No persistent diarrhea

Other

- No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus

- No active infection

- No prior grade 3 or 4 allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar biological
composition to garlic, docetaxel, or Tween 80

- No other concurrent uncontrolled medical condition that would preclude study
participation

- No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception

- Must be able to ingest oral medication

- Lactic dehydrogenase ≤ 2 times ULN

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

- At least 3 weeks since prior immunotherapy

- No concurrent immunotherapy

- Trastuzumab (Herceptin®) allowed after the first course of therapy at the
discretion of the primary physician

- No concurrent pegfilgrastim

Chemotherapy

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin)

- No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 2 weeks since prior hormonal therapy

- No concurrent hormonal therapy

- No concurrent megestrol during the first course of study treatment

Radiotherapy

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy

- No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery

- Not specified

Other

- More than 30 days (or 5 half-lives) since prior investigational therapy

- No concurrent aprepitant (Emend®)

- No concurrent or oral tetrahydrocannabinol (Marinol®) during the first course of
study treatment

- No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients

- No other concurrent investigational or anticancer medications

- No concurrent antiepileptic therapy

- No concurrent immunosuppressants

- No other concurrent herbal therapies during the first month of study participation

- No concurrent grapefruit juice during the first month of study participation

- No concurrent administration of the following:

- Alprazolam

- Cyclosporine

- Diltiazem

- Dofetilide

- Erythromycin

- Fluvoxamine

- Itraconazole

- Ketoconazole

- Quinine

- Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)

- Tacrolimus

- Theophylline

- Warfarin

- Zolpidem