Lipid Profiles are Altered in Rats Fed with Different Garlic Cultivars

Abstract

Garlic has antioxidant and hypocholesterolemic properties that are attributed to its organosulfur compounds being allicin, which is reported to be the most active of these compounds. We hypothesized that allicin content could reduce plasma concentrations of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), HDL (high density lipoproteins), VLDL (very low density lipoproteins), and glucose. Two different cultivars of commercial garlic, Peruano and Jinxiang, were used. Thirty male Wistar rats were distributed into 6 groups and fed for 15 days with standard diet (Control), Control with Peruano garlic treatment (CGP), Control with Jinxiang garlic treatment (CGCH), cholesterol-added control diet (CholC), cholesterol-added diet with Peruano garlic treatment (CholGP), and cholesterol-added diet with Jinxiang garlic treatment (CholGCH). Garlic treatment consisted of a daily oral dose of 1ml of lyophilized garlic. We observed that garlic treatment in Control group significantly reduced plasma TG and VLDL concentrations. The CGCH group presented a significant increase in plasma TC levels (25.5%) and glucose (11%). No significant changes in TC, HDL, TG and VLDL were observed in CholGP and CholGCH, but levels of fasting plasma glucose were increased: CholGP (23%) and CholGCH (27.5%). Results suggested allicin treatments alter lipid profile in rats. Nevertheless, further studies are necessary to address the increase in plasma glucose levels.