%0 Journal Article
%T Effect of garlic on cardiovascular disorders: a review
%A Sanjay Banerjee
%A Subir Maulik
%J Nutrition Journal
%D 2002
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1475-2891-1-4
%X Dietary factors play a key role in the development of various human diseases, including cardiovascular disease. Epidemiological studies have shown that diets rich in fruits, herbs and spices are associated with a low risk of cardiovascular disease. Garlic acquired a reputation in the folklore of many cultures over centuries as a formidable prophylactic and therapeutic medicinal agent. Garlic has attracted particular attention of modern medicine because of its widespread health use around the world, and the cherished belief that it helps in maintaining good health warding off illnesses and providing more vigor. To date, many favorable experimental and clinical effects of garlic preparations, including garlic extract, have been reported. These biological responses have been largely attributed to i) reduction of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and cancer, ii) stimulation of immune function, iii) enhanced detoxification of foreign compound, iv) hepatoprotection, v) antimicrobial effect and vi) antioxidant effect. This review has been made indicating an overall view of the efficacy of garlic in cardiovascular disease conditions both in human and animals.It is fascinating to observe how cultures that never came into contact with one another came to the same conclusions about the role of garlic in health and disease. If folk wisdom is not ignored, it may teach us valuable lessons. Some of the earliest references to this medicinal and culinary plant are found on Sumerian clay tablets dating from 2600¨C2100 BC. Garlic was an important medicine to the ancient Egyptians listed in the medical text Codex Ebers (ca. 1550 BC) specially for the working class involved in heavy labor [1,2]. There is evidence that during the earliest Olympics in Greece, garlic was fed to the athletes for increasing stamina [1]. In ancient Chinese medicine, garlic was prescribed to aid respiration and digestion, most importantly diarrhea and worm infestation [3]. Three ancient medical tradition
%K garlic
%K animal experiment
%K clinical trial
%K cardiovascular
%U http://www.nutritionj.com/content/1/1/4