To study the anti-hypertensive and lipid-lowering effects of garlic as add-on therapy to amlodipine in patients of hypertension with obesity

Background: To study the anti-hypertensive and lipid-lowering effect of aged garlic extract as add-on therapy to amlodipine in patients of hypertension with obesity.Methods: A randomized, prospective, open-labelled study of 90 days duration was undertaken at department of pharmacology, SGRDIMSAR, Amritsar. Patients of hypertension with obesity attending out-patient department of Medicine, SGRDIMSAR, Amritsar and fulfilling the inclusion criteria were enrolled. Patients were allocated into two groups treated with either amlodipine alone or Aged Garlic Extract (capsule in dose of 250 mg twice daily) along with amlodipine. A total of 60 patients successfully completed the study.Results: At the end of study period of 90 days, a highly significant (p<0.001) reduction was seen in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in patients taking AGE along with amlodipine. On comparison with group taking amlodipine alone, difference of SBP was highly significant (p<0.001) in patients taking AGE along with amlodipine, but difference of DBP was not significant (p>0.05) between these two groups. There was a non-significant change (p>0.05) in lipid profile (serum total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) in patients taking only amlodipine but a significant reduction (p<0.05) in serum triglycerides, LDL and VLDL parameters of lipid profile in patients taking AGE along with amlodipine. Weight and BMI also reduced significantly (p<0.01) in patients taking AGE along with amlodipine.Conclusions: AGE has been shown to have anti-hypertensive and lipid-lowering properties suggesting that garlic can be valuable agent in patients having hypertension with obesity