?BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF ALLIUM SAT/VUM LINN IN EXPERIMENTAL CHOLESTEROL ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN CHICKEN. Part II: Curative Effects

Abstract

Curative effects of garlic were established in a chicken model of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis was produced in
chickens by feeding them cholesterol-enriched feed for a period of 12 weeks and later administered twice weekly
alongwith garlic for another 12weeks. At the end of 24 weeks, the animals were sacrificed and their dorsal aortae were
removed to examine the atherosclerotic lesions. The results of studies on blood showed that garlic administration leads
to significant decrease in plasma levels oftriglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL( +VLDL)-cholesterol. The aortic dam-
age was also significantly lower in the garlic-administered group as compared to the model group fed on cholesterol-
enriched feed alone. Tnaddition, aggregation studies showed a marked inhibitory effect of the aqueous extract of garlic
on platelet aggregation In vitro. Thus, it may be inferred that administration of garlic provides a significant protection
against hyperlipidemia and possibly thrombus formation and therefore has a potential to protect against cardio-vascu-
lar anomalies.