[A cholesterol-lowering effect of garlic?].
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Anticholesteremic Agents↗
Biomedical subjects
T Brosche
Publications and source records attributed to T Brosche.
[Garlic as phytogenic antilipemic agent. Recent studies with a standardized dry garlic powder substance].
Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a commonplace drug. It is now available in the form of dragees made of garlic powder, standardized to 1.3% alliin. The lipid-lowering potential of such preparations has not been reviewed yet. In 7 out of 8 studies, including over 500 patients, a daily dose of 0.6 g to 0.9 g garlic powder reduced plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels by 5 to 20 percent. The metabolic mechanisms of these reductions are not known.
Garlic↗
Decrease of cholesterol concentration in human erythrocyte ghosts in old age.
The lipid composition of the erythrocyte membrane ghosts of 95 relatively healthy elderly subjects was compared between four age groups: 70 to below 75 years (I), 75 to below 80 (II), 80 to below 85 (III) and 85 to below 90 years of age (IV). The molar ratio of phospholipid to cholesterol (PL/CH) in the erythrocyte ghosts increased with advancing age. Whilst PL levels did not change significantly, a decrease of membrane cholesterol was found. Therefore, the red cell membrane cholesterol seems to parallel the well-known pattern of variation of mean plasma total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol concentrations with age: an increase to a maximum in the sixth decade of life, and a decline thereafter. The processes which are responsible for these changes in cholesterol level with age have not been delineated. However, the findings suggest that one might get different results in studies of age-dependent membrane lipid alterations if rough age group divisions are made (below 30 years of age vs. over 70 years) or to subdivide the group of the elderly.
Aged↗
The effect of a garlic preparation on the composition of plasma lipoproteins and erythrocyte membranes in geriatric subjects.
This study evaluated the effect of a dried garlic powder preparation, standardised to 1.3% alliin, on the composition of plasma lipoproteins and erythrocyte membranes. Forty volunteers, aged 70 years and over, took 600 mg of garlic powder per day for three months. In participants with initially normal plasma cholesterol levels (CH less than 200 mg/dl; n = 11) after three months of garlic tablet administration, little or no change in CH values was registered, as for most of the other parameters. In contrast, in volunteers with initially elevated CH levels (CH greater than 200 mg/dl, n = 29), the CH levels were reduced by -7.7% (p less than 0.001). This reduction took place primarily in the esterified cholesterol fraction (-12%, p less than 0.001), whereas free cholesterol concentrations were not altered significantly. Triglycerides (-15.9%, p less than 0.05) and plasma choline phospholipids (-4.6%, p less than 0.01) were also reduced. No change of the plasma LDL-CH to HDL-CH ratio was observed in this group. Based on the weight of lyophilised, haemoglobin-free erythrocytes, the mean membrane concentration of phospholipids and cholesterol in the total cohort (n = 40) increased by 5.7% (p less than 0.001) and 6.1% (p less than 0.01), respectively. These increases were more pronounced the lower the body mass indices (kg/m2) were, and the longer the duration of garlic administration was. The molar ratio of membrane phospholipids to cholesterol remained unchanged. The results are discussed with regard to a possible role of the garlic-induced membrane effects in the plasma lipid-lowering potency of garlic and preparations made from it.
Aged↗
Erythrocyte membrane changes associated with nutrition and aging--the role of plasmalogens.
Fatty aldehyde dimethylacetals (DMA) derived from human plasma and red cell plasmalogens of 20 female and 20 male donors, aged 70 years and over, and of 17 younger ones (12 male, 5 female), were measured as part of total phospholipid fatty acid methyl esters and DMA. There were no statistically significant changes in the hexadecanal DMA fractions of erythrocyte membranes with respect to donor age. In contrast, small degrees of correlation, though statistically significant, indicate a stochastic decline with donor age of erythrocyte octadecanal DMA and of plasma-derived hexadecanal DMA and octadecanal DMA levels. It is concluded that in the context of age-related changes not only the plasmalogen content of biomembranes has to be considered. Because of the sensitivity of plasmalogens to autoxidation, effects of oxidative damage and defense on membrane architecture, the degree of plasmalogen domain formation with its implication on membrane functions and the mechanisms regulating membrane turnover have to be also assessed.
Aging↗