Lipids garlic effect

It was demonstrated previously that allicin extracted from garlic had a lipid-lowering effect on long-term feeding to healthy rats. These studies reported a significant decrease in total serum lipids, phospholipids, and cholesterol in the animals fed allicin compared to control animals. 

Garlic has been shown to have significant effects on the cardiovascular system. Such areas include improvement in lipids, modest effects on blood pressure, platelet inhibition, antioxidant effects, and a decrease in fibrinolytic activity. In vitro studies have shown garlic possesses specific antiatherosclerotic effects such as reducing inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression (10), inhibition of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-induced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and inhibition of oxidized LDL-induced depletion of glutathione (11). 

Sumioka, L, Hayama, M., Shimokawa, Y., Shiraishi, S., Tokunaga, A., and Hiroshima, J. 2006. Lipid-lowering effect of Monascus garlic fermented extract (MGFE) in hyperlipidemic subjects. Med. Sci. 55(2), 59-64. 

Organosulfur compounds present inAllium vegetables, which are either lipid or water soluble, are considered responsible for the beneficial effects of these herbs. Garlic derivatives generally have a thioallyl moiety, whereas onion extracts contain a thiopropyl group with somewhat different chemical properties [14]. 

Fresh garlic may have some cardiovascular benefits, but it is unclear whether it lowers blood lipids or blood pressure as much as originally thought. Aged preparations and cooked garlic are likely to be less effective despite being better tolerated. 

FA092 Kamanna, V.S., and N. Chandrasekhara. Effect of garlic (Allium sativum Linn) on serum lipoproteins and lipoprotein cholesterol levels in albino rats rendered hypercholesteremic by feeding cholesterol. Lipids 1982 17(7) 483-488. 

Gardner C et al Effect of raw garlic vs commercial garlic supplements on plasma lipid concentrations in adults with moderate hypercholesterolemia. Arch Intern Med 2007 167 346. [PMID 17325296]... 

Garlic Allium sativum L Bulb of the garlic plant Decrease cholesterol and other plasma lipids anti-inflammatory antimicrobial antioxidant other effects... 

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. 

Garlic (Allium sativum) is thought to have several beneficial cardiovascular effects, such as lowering blood pressure and serum lipid, and antithrombotic activity. Garlic oil has been reported to interrupt thromboxane synthesis, thereby inhibiting platelet function. 

Garlic has been reported to have lipid- and blood-pressure-lowering properties, as well as antiplatelet, antioxidant, and fibrinolytic effects. In animal models and human cell cultures, it has been shown to have antiatherosclerotic activity (see Chapter 50). The sulfur-containing component, allicin, is considered to be the principal active ingredient of garlic, but several other bioactive ingredients have also been isolated. 

In vitro, allicin and related compounds inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, which is involved in cholesterol biosynthesis (see Chapter 35 Agents Used in Hyperlipidemia). Several clinical trials have investigated the lipid-lowering potential of garlic. Some have shown significant reductions in cholesterol and others no effect. The most recent meta-analysis suggested a minor (5%) reduction of total cholesterol that was insignificant when dietary controls were in place. 

Chang, M.L.W. and Johnson, M.A. 1980. Effect of garlic on carbohydrate metabolism and lipid synthesis in rats. J. Nutr. 110, 931-936. 

Chi, M.S. 1982. Effect of garlic products on lipid metabolism in cholesterol-fed rats. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 171, 174-178. 

Gardner, C.D., Chatteijee, L.M., and Carlson, J.J. 2001. The effect of a garlic preparation on plasma lipid levels in moderately hypercholesterolemic adults. Atherosclerosis 154, 213—220. 

Gebhardt, R. and Beck, H. 1996. Differential inhibitory effects of garlic-derived organosulfur compounds on cholesterol biosynthesis in primary rat hepatocyte culture. Lipids 31, 1269-1276. Gehm, B.D., McAndrews, J.M., Chien, P.Y., and Jameson, J.L. 1997. Resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound found in grapes and wine, is an agonist for estrogen receptor. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. 94, 14138-14143. 

Jain, R.C. 1977. Effect of garlic on serum lipids, coagulability and fibrinolytic activity of blood. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 30, 1380-1381. 

Rajasree, C.R., Rajmohan, T., and Agusti, K.T. 1999. Biochemical effects of garlic on lipid metabolism in alcohol fed rats. Indian J. Exp. Biol. 37, 243-247. 

Simons, L.A., Balasubramanian, S., VonKonigsmark, M., Parfitt, A., Simons, J., and Peters, W. 1995. On the effects of garlic on plasma lipids and lipoproteins in mild hypercholesterolemia. 

Superko, H.R. and Krauss, R.M. 2000. Garlic powder, effect on plasma lipids, postprandial lipemia, low-density lipoprotein particle size, high-density lipoprotein subclass distribution and lipoprotein(a). J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 35, 321-326. 

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