Garlic and Cardiovascular Diseases

Globally, there is an increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and is still maintaining its apex position. It includes elevation in low density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL-C), increase in LDL-C oxidation, irregular clumping of blood platelets, and increase in C-reactive proteins and homocysteine. These abnormalities are also associated with atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, and hypercholesterolemia. Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is among the world's oldest cultivated plants, popular in food and for medicinal purposes. Commercially available garlic preparations in the form of garlic oil, powder, and pills are widely used for therapeutic purposes. The water-soluble and insoluble sulfur compounds in garlic showed beneficial effects in all these cardiac abnormalities, especially for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and prevention of arteriosclerosis through antioxidant ability involving induction and inhibition of various metabolic enzymes and via chelating activity. There is continuous investigation being carried out to find out the other potent bioactive constituent in garlic. Likewise, phenolic compounds have emerged as minor but potent compounds, which are responsible for its antioxidant activity. Most of the studies are in the preliminary stage and need to be clarified in clinical trials.