Garlic — an anti-arteriosclerotic natural remedy?

Abstract

Garlic has been traditionally used during the last 4,000 years for a variety of purposes. In the middle-ages garlic was used as a natural antibiotic because of its clearly documented antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal effects. With the increase in life expectancy and parallel development of cardiovascular diseases, garlic has changed its application towards being a natural anti-atherosclerotic substance. In the 20ies the first blood pressure lowering effect of garlic was published, and in the 30ies the first lipid-lowering effects were shown experimentally. Early human studies in the 70ies using high doses of garlic showed a cholesterol-lowering effect. This was confirmed by an epidemiological comparison of groups of the Indian population. Those Indians having a high garlic consumption had lower cholesterol values as compared to groups with no garlic consumption. In Germany and several other European countries garlic is an accepted and registered drug with the indication “to support dietary measures in cases of elevated blood lipid levels and in the prevention of age-related vascular changes”. Earlier clinical trials were partially inconclusive. They used low doses of garlic or non-standardized garlic preparations. Since the amount of the principal component alliin in fresh garlic can vary by a factor of 13, non-standardized products might not contain enough active sulphur components. During the last 4 years, 10 clinical trials (4 randomized double-blind studies and 3 studies with control groups) were performed showing significant lipid lowering effects with garlic dosages of 600-900 mg standardized garlic powder (equivalent to approx. 8 - 12 mg alliin) daily. The largest placebo-controlled double-blind study so far was performed by the German Association of General Practitioners, and included 261 patients with hyperlipidaemia type II b. The results revealed a mean reduction of total cholesterol by 12 % and of triglycerides by 17 %. Additional effects of garlic are a mild lowering of blood pressure, a reduction of plasma viscosity and platelet aggregation, as well as an increase in blood flow and fibrinolytic activity. Even though not all questions regarding garlic effects are resolved, it may be considered as a virtually side-effect free, mild acting, prophylactic as well as therapeutic drug in arteriosclerosis.

Zusammenfassung

Knoblauch (Allium sativum L.) wird bereits seit der Jungsteinzeit als Nahrungsmittel, Gewürz und vielseitiges Allheilmittel verwendet. Im Mittelalter wurde es als Antibiotikum eingesetzt, da es klar dokumentierte antibakterielle, antimykotische und antivirale Wirkungen besitzt.