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. 2013 Apr 30;2013(4):CD000095.
doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD000095.pub2.

Garlic for peripheral arterial occlusive disease

Ruth G Jepson  1 , Jos Kleijnen, Gillian C Leng
Affiliations

Garlic for peripheral arterial occlusive disease

Ruth G Jepson et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. .

Abstract

Background: Commercially available preparations of garlic have been reported to have beneficial effects on some of the risk factors associated with atherosclerosis.

Objectives: To assess the effects of garlic (both dried and non-powdered preparations) for the treatment of peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

Search methods: For this update the Cochrane Peripheral Vascular Diseases Group Trials Search Co-ordinator searched the Specialised Register (last searched January 2013) and CENTRAL (2012, Issue 12).

Selection criteria: Randomised trials of garlic therapy in patients with lower limb atherosclerosis were included. The main outcomes were objective measures of progression of underlying atherosclerosis (e.g. ankle pressure measurements, treadmill testing) and subjective measures (e.g. symptom progression).

Data collection and analysis: Two review authors (RJ and JK) independently extracted data and assessed trial quality. One author (RJ) contacted investigators to obtain information needed for the review that could not be found in published reports.

Main results: One eligible trial with 78 participants was found. Both men and women (aged 40 to 75) were included. The follow-up period was short, 12 weeks only.After twelve weeks of treatment, pain-free walking distance increased from 161 to 207 metres in the group receiving garlic and from 172 to 203 metres in the placebo group. This was not a statistically significant difference. There was no difference in change of systolic or diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, ankle and brachial pressures. No severe side effects were observed and nine patients taking garlic (28%) and four patients taking placebo (12%) complained of a noticeable garlic smell.Three trials were excluded from the review because they did not include any clinical measurements.

Authors' conclusions: One small trial of short duration found no statistically significant effect of garlic on walking distance.

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Conflict of interest statement

JK reports that Kleijnen Systematic Reviews Ltd has received project funding from various pharmaceutical companies for work in unrelated areas.

Figures

1.1
1.1. Analysis
Comparison 1 Garlic versus placebo, Outcome 1 Pain‐free walking distance.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Update of

References

References to studies included in this review

Keisewetter 1993 {published data only}
    1. Keisewetter H, Jung F, Jung EM, Blume J, Mrowietz C, Birk A, et al. Effects of garlic coated tablets in peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Clinical Investigator 1993;71(5):383‐6. - PubMed

References to studies excluded from this review

Kieswetter 1997 {published data only}
    1. Kieswetter H, Birk A, Radtke H, Mayer B. The effect of garlic powder dragees on plaque regression. Atherosclerosis 1997; Vol. 134:47.
Koscielny 1999 {published data only}
    1. Koscielny J, Klussendorf D, Latza R, Schmitt R, Radtke H, Siegal G, et al. The antiatherosclerotic effect of Allium sativum. Atherosclerosis 1999;144(1):237‐49. - PubMed
Larijani 2013 {published data only}
    1. Larijani VN, Ahmadi N, Zeb I, Khan F, Flores F, Budoff M. Beneficial effects of aged garlic extract and coenzyme Q10 on vascular elasticity and endothelial function: the FAITH randomized clinical trial. Nutrition 2013;29(1):71‐5. - PMC - PubMed

Additional references

Kleijnen 1989
    1. Kleijnen J, Knipschild P, Ter Riet G. Garlic, onions and cardiovascular risk factors. A review of the evidence from human experiments with emphasis on commercially available preparations. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 1989;28(5):535‐44. - PMC - PubMed
Silagy 1994
    1. Silagy C, Neil A. Garlic as a lipid lowering agent ‐ a meta‐analysis. Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London 1994;28(1):39‐45. - PMC - PubMed
Warshafsky 1993
    1. Warshafsky S, Kamer RS, Sivak SL. Effect of garlic on total serum cholesterol. A meta‐analysis. Annals of Internal Medicine 1993;119(7 Pt 1):599‐605. - PubMed

References to other published versions of this review

Jepson 1997
    1. Jepson RG, Kleijnen J, Leng GC. Garlic for peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 1997, Issue 2. [DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000095] - DOI - PubMed

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