Platelet aggregation inhibition garlic

Srivastava KC. (1984). Aqueous extracts of onion, garlic and ginger inhibit platelet aggregation and alter arachidonic acid metabolism. Biomed Biochim Acta. 43(8-9) S335-46. 

Garlic clearly has antithrombotic properties. Ajoene (an allicin metabolite) and methyl allyl trisulfide inhibit platelet aggregation. Garlic may promote vasodilation by relaxing smooth muscle, and it may reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. 

Lawson LD, Ranson DK, Hughes BG. Inhibition of whole blood platelet-aggregation by compounds in garlic extracts and commercial garlic products. Thromb Res 1992 65 141-156. 

Garlic is used for a variety of reasons, and some of the attributes associated with it, e.g. for cancer prevention, or to reduce heart attacks, may not be substantiated. Other properties such as antimicrobial activity, effects on lipid metabolism, and platelet aggregation inhibitory action have been demonstrated. Ajoene has been shown to be a potent antithrombotic agent through inhibition of platelet aggregation. 

The exact mechanism by which garlic oil may suppress Fe-NTA-mediated renal damage is not known. However, onion and garlic extracts have been shown to inhibit platelet aggregation and prostaglandin synthesis. 

Rahman, K. and Billington, D. 2000. Dietary supplementation with aged garlic extract inhibits ADP-induced platelet aggregation in humans. J. Nutr. 130, 2662-2665. 

Makheja AN, Vanderhoek JY, Bailey JM. Inhibition of platelet aggregation and thromboxane synthesis by onion and garlic. Lancet 1979 1 781. 

An in vitro study demonstrated that the concentrations of an aqueous extract of garlic required to inhibit ADP, epinephrine, and collagen-induced platelet aggregation were much less than those needed to inhibit thromboxane production (Srivastava, 1984). This finding suggests that inhibition of thromboxane synthesis is not the only mechanism by which garlic inhibits platelet aggregation. 

Among common foodstuffs, onion and garlic have been reported to contain a heat-stable, lipid soluble factor that inhibits platelet aggregation [183-186], This factor inhibits thromboxane synthesis in platelets from exogenous [ C]arachidonic acid. Along with the decreased thromboxane formation, a new metabolite of arachidonic acid appeared, 10-hydroxy-11,12-epoxy-5,8,14-eicosatrienoic acid, probably via the platelet lipoxygenase pathway [185],... 

Evidence from in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies support the beneficial effects of garlic consumption in various preparations in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. The raw garlic and AGE are the most important among the available preparation and showed maximum pharmacological effect in low dose. The present report suggests that garlic has the ability to prevent excess free radical production, maintain the oxidative balance via increase in antioxidant status and increase in bioavailability of nitric oxide, prevent vascular inflammation, reduce cholesterol content and plaque formation, and inhibit platelet aggregation. 

Teranishi K, Apitz-Castro R, Robson SC, Romano E, Cooper DK (2003) Inhibition of baboon platelet aggregation in vitro and in vivo by the garlic derivative, ajoene. Xenotransplantation 10(4) 374—379... 

---