Effect of garlic on plasma homocysteine level in ischemic heart disease patients

Decreasing the high homocysteine level of serum as one of the risk factors of cardiovascular disease can reduce the occurrence and complications of myocardial infarction. Garlic is identified as one of the main decreasing factors of high homocysteine level. So this study was carried out to determine the garlic effect on high homocysteine level in ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients.
Material and This observational study was carried out on IHD patients (n=60) attended to heart clinic of Kashan (Isfahan, Iran). Two equal groups of patients (n=30) were administered with 800 mg garlic pills daily for 6 weeks (equvalent to 4gr fresh garlic) and placebo for 6 weeks, respectively. Before and after the intervention the plasma homocysteine, high density lipoproteine (HDL), triglyceride (TG) and low density lipoproteine (LDL) levels were measured using the ELISA) technique and TG, HDL and enzymatic techniques, respectively.
The mean age of patients was 60.6±10.1 with 39 male (65%) and 21 female (35%). At the end of study the mean plasma homocysteine level was decreased from 4.6 mol/µl to 4.4 mol/µl; while in placebo group it increased from 4.5 mol/µl to 4.6 mol/µl. However, for the comparison of the effects two drugs on homocysteine, TG, HDL and LDL level, as the confounding factor, no significant difference was seen.
A daily garlic use of 800 mg for 6 weeks has no effect on serum homocysteine and lipids levels. The topic requires further research in future.