Garlic (Allium sativum L.) in the management of hypertension and dyslipidemia – A systematic review

The herb garlic (Allium sativum L.) has traditionally been used to promote ‘cardiovascular health’. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the available evidence for the efficacy and safety of garlic in the management of hypertension and dyslipidemia and the quality of that evidence by utilising the elaborated CONSORT checklist. Double-blind randomized controlled trials written in English from inception to April 2017 were identified and evaluated.
A total of 18 studies were included (n = 1069): 4 studies reported a statistically significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (mean SBP reduction of 11.2 mmHg) and 2 studies reported a statistically significant reduction in various lipid components (LDL-C p <0.05; TC p = 0.003). Aged garlic extract (1.2 mg – 2.4 mg s-allyl cysteine/ day) and to a lesser extent coated garlic powder tablets (600 mg–2400 mg/ day) demonstrated a hypotensive effect. Evidence for the role of garlic in the management of dyslipidemia is, however, less clear. Minor side effects were reported.
Further high quality research is required to confirm these findings. The authors recommend researchers refer to the item 4 of the elaborated CONSORT checklist in the design and reporting phase of their studies.