Effect of garlic powder supplementation on blood pressure and hs‐C‐reactive protein among nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial

Abstract

Based on the anti‐inflammatory and antihypertensive properties of garlic, the current study was designed to evaluate the garlic powder effects on blood pressure and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) among Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease patients (NAFLD). This randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial study was conducted on 110 patients with NAFLD. The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups, receiving two tablets of either 400 mg garlic or placebo daily for 15 weeks. At baseline and the end of the study, blood pressure and hs‐CRP were determined. Of 110 patients enrolled in the trial, 98 subjects were included in the final analysis. After the intervention, systolic blood pressures (SBP) (mean: −7.89; 95%CI:‒11.39 to −4.39 mm Hg), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (mean: −5.38; 95%CI: −7.77 to −3 mm Hg), and Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) (mean: −6:95%CI: −8.4 to −3.6 mm Hg) decreased significantly in the garlic group as compared to the placebo group. Also, the percentage of reduced hs‐CRP was significantly higher in the intervention group compared with the control group (mean: −16.1; 95%CI: −32.7 to −0.53; p = .035). Moreover, a positive correlation was observed between the percentage change in hs‐CRP and percentage changes in SBP (r = 0.221; p = .029), DBP (r = 0.166; p = .012), and MAP (r = 0.210; p = .038). Garlic supplementation can be a safe and potentially adjunct treatment to reduce blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disorders in patients with NAFLD.

Cardiovascular Effects of Herbal Products and Their Interaction with Antihypertensive Drugs—Comprehensive Review

“…Allicin’s antihypertensive efficacy was described to be similar to that of enalapril in clinical studies [ 28 ]. In a placebo-controlled study, the SBP and DBP of patients taking 2 × 400 mg tablets of garlic extract improved significantly after 15 weeks of therapy [ 29 ].…”

Cellular Mechanisms Underlying the Cardioprotective Role of Allicin on Cardiovascular Diseases

“…In summary, data from experimental and clinical studies show that allicin decreases hypertension, inflammation, platelet aggregation, hyperglycemia, fibrosis, oxidative stress, and apoptosis and improves lipid profile, arrhythmias, and endothelial and cardiac function. For those reasons, and its low toxicity [ 25 , 26 , 56 , 90 ] allicin may be a reliable option for the treatment of the different clinic manifestations of CVD and its risk factors.…”

“…The clinical studies have been carried out in patients with cardiovascular disease and healthy volunteers aged 20 years or older and the doses used a range from 10 to 48 mg/kg/day. No side effects, included bad smell, were reported in short-term or long-term studies [ 25 , 26 , 44 , 56 , 90 ]. However, healthy volunteers reported abdominal discomfort and stomachache subsequent to the administration of 48 mg of allicin once a day during dinner for 1 week on an empty stomach [ 63 ].…”

“…In patients, a randomized, double-blind, placebo trial, reported that C-reactive protein, and systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures decreased in NAFLD patients treated with allicin 3 mg/day [ 56 ].…”

Potential Effects of Natural H2S-Donors in Hypertension Management

“…This latter effect further contributes to the potential cardiovascular protective properties of garlic and its derivatives [84]. Soleimani and colleagues investigated the effects of garlic supplements on blood pressure in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial [85]. The study was completed by 47 patients allocated to the garlic group (400 mg garlic tablet containing 1.5 mg allicin, twice daily for 15 weeks) and 51 patients in the placebo group.…”