Ajaz Fatima, Khalid Niaz, Abdul Qudoos, Shah Murad.
Single blind placebo-controlled study on effects of Garlic tablets to reduce serum lipids.
Pak J Med Health Sci Jan ;8(2):302-5.

Background: In many countries of the world, herbal medicine is replacing conventional therapies due to cost effect, low compliance of allopathic drugs regarding their frequent adverse effects and easy availability of medicinal herbs in natural environment. Garlic is one of the medicinal herb which is cultivated in many countries of the world including China, South Korea, Egypt, India, Russia, Ethiopia, Burma, US, Ukraine, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Since prehistoric times, Garlic was and is being used as routinely cooking substance in socially sound and rich cultures of the world. Its medicinal uses and benefits are mentioned in far past historical references. New slant on Pharmacology of herbal medicine has leaded new research designs and trends of therapeutics. Garlic’s antihyperlipidemic effects are well explained and accepted by all disciplines of research schools. Important is its acceptance on reduction in morbidity and mortality rates in humans due to Myocardial Infarction. Its effects on metabolism of lipoproteins are still being researched. Methods: It was single blind placebo controlled study, conducted at General Hospital Lahore, Pakistan from January 2010 to June 2010. One hundred and twenty male and female hyperlipidemic patients were enrolled, age range between 20 to 70 years. Already approved written consent was taken from all participants. Patients were divided in two groups, one group was on placebo therapy and another on drug Garlic tablets 300 mg, thrice daily for the period of three months. Their baseline values of total-cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and HDL-cholesterol were taken and filed in especially designed proforma. Fortnightly clinical visit was advised to all patients. After three months treatments their serum for lipid profile was taken and then evaluated. Serum cholesterol and triglycerides were estimated by the enzymatic calorimetric method. Serum HDL-Cholesterol was determined by direct method, at day zero and at last day of the treatment. LDL-Cholesterol was calculated by Friedwald formula (LDL= TC- (TG/5 + HDL-C). Results: When results of lipid profile values of day-0 and day-90 were compared, it was observed that use of tablet Garlic 300 mg, thrice daily for the period of three months reduced total cholesterol 9.37 %, triglycerides 1.30 %, LDL-cholesterol 17.59% and increased HDL-cholesterol 5.54 %. When evaluated individually all parameters of lipid profile were changed significantly statistically. Conclusion: We concluded from this treatment trial that hyperlipidemic patients do get benefit to lower their harmful plasma resident fats and to increase beneficial fat particles (HDL-cholesterol) and may save their life time morbidity/mortality due to myocardial infarction.

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