No Effect of Garlic Extract Supplement on Serum Lipid Levels in Hypercholesterolemic Subjects
PRAT ANA SA TITVIPA WEE, MPH*, PETCH RA WDAREE, MD, MSc**, SAOWA NIN INDRABHAKTI, MD***, TANAPORN RATANASUWAN, MD***, PANISA GETN-GERN, MSc****, CHUKIAT VIWATWONGKASEM, MSc*
Affiliation : *Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, **Endocrinology Unit, Department of Medicine, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Medical College and Vajira Hospital, Bangkok 10300, *** Department of Medicine, Lerdsin Hospital, Bangkok 10500, **** National Institute of Health, Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thai land.
Objective : The authors assessed the effects of an enteric-coated Thai garlic extract tablet standardized for allicin-releasing potential on serum lipid levels in hypercholesterolemic subjects.
Subjects and
Method : The authors performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-con trolled trial in 136 hypercholesterolemic subjects (cholesterol concentrations~ 5.2 mmoi!L; mean age± SD: 47.0 ± 6.6 yr). All subjects were given dietary advice to lower fat intake within 4 weeks and were advised to eat normally during the study period. The subjects were randomly assigned to receive an enteric-coated Thai garlic extract tablet once daily (standardized to 1.12% allicin or 5.6 mg/tablet), or placebo after the evening meal for 12 weeks. Seventy subjects (32.9% male; mean age± SD and BMI of 47.0 ± 6.6 yr and 24.6 ± 3.3 kg/m2 received the garlic extract treatment while 66 subjects (37.9% ) male, mean age± SD and BMI of 47.0 ± 6.0 yr and 24.3 ± 3.4 kg/m2 received placebo. )
Results : There were no statistically significant changes in serum total cholesterol, trigly cerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol after the 12-week treatment as analyzed on repeated measures by analysis of variance. In addition, no changes in plasma glucose, liver and renal functions were found.
Conclusions : Treatment with an enteric garlic-coated Thai garlic extract and dietary advice did not produce any significant changes in lipid levels in subjects with hypercholesterolemia.
Keywords : Allicin, Garlic Extract Supplement, Serum Lipids, Hypercholesterolemic Subjects
