Comparative study of garlic powder and gemfibrozil in patients of ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus

In this study we observed the effects of garlic [Allium sativum] powder on lipid profile in hyperlipidaemic patients [fasting serum cholesterol 280 mg / 100 ml or more and / or triglyceride 180 mg / 100ml or more] suffering from ischemic heart disease [IHD] and diabetes mellitus [DM] and compared its effects with those of the standard lipid regulating drug gemfibrozil [Lopid]. Nine patients suffering from IHD and DM were put on garlic powder [6 gram / day] for a period of four weeks, six patients were put on gemfibrozil [1200 mg/day] for a period of four weeks. After completion of the treatment the lipid profile was again examined. The parameters studied were serum total lipids, cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein- cholesterol [LDL-C] and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol [HDL-C]. The reduction in the garlic treated group of patients of serum total lipids, cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-C was more marked as compared the gemfibrozil treated patients. Garlic increased the mean serum HDL-C levels very significantly. All these changes produced by garlic powder are beneficial in patients of IHD and DM which are at high risk. Serum total lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-C directly or indirectly enhance the process of atherosclerosis, while HDL-C slows this process by taking away cholesterol from arteries towards the liver for its metabolism and excretion. So garlic is very useful dietary component for slowing the process of atherosclerosis and its associated complications in high risk patients if used regularly for a long time

Effects of aspirin and indomethacin on ventricular arrhythmias- comparative study

The effects of aspirin and indomethacin on the ventricular arrhythmias produced by ligation [ischaemia] and unligation [reperfusion] of the circumflex branch of the left coronary vessel were evaluated in fifty male rabbits weighing 1.5 - 2 kg. Pretreatment of animals with aspirin [50 mg/kg i/v] suppressed all arrhythmias during ischaemia. Low dose of aspirin [12.5 mg/kg i/v] produced no mortality. Indomethacin [2.5 mg/kg] was unable to control ischaemia and reperfusion-induced ventricular arrhythamis. However, higher doses of indomethacin [50 mg/kg] suppessed ischaemia-induced arrhythamias to some extent but the mortality rate was increased [37%]. Fragment of ventricular fibrillation was zero during ischaemia after treatment with aspirin and indomethacin but reperfusion-induced ventricular fibrillation was not controlled by any of these drugs. Aspirin [12.5 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg] and indomethacin [2.5 mg/kg] significantly suppressed ischaemia - induced tachyarrhythmias while reperfusion induced tachyarrhythmias were suppressed only by aspirin. There was no significant effect on the mean arterial pressure after these drug treatments

Combined effects of aspirin and propranolol on the tachyarrhythmias

We have observed the effects of aspirin and propranolol on the adrenaline-stimulated activity of the isolated auricles of the rabbit heart as well as on the ischaemia-induced and reperfusion-induced activity of the pentobarbitone-anesthetized rabbit heart. Aspirin [25-100 uM] has suppressant effects on the adrenaline-stimulated tachyarrhythmias of the isolated auricles. Aspirin [12.5 mg/kg] also suppresses ischaemia-induced and reperfusion induced tachycardia. These effects of aspirin are similar to propranolol [5x10[-8] M - 3x10[-6] M for isolated auricles and 0.02 mg/kg for pentobarbitone-anesthetized rabbits]. Aspirin-propranolol combination showed no significant effects on the isolated auricles of the rabbit heart while ischaemia-induced and reperfusion induced tachyarrhythmias are significantly suppressed. Therefore, we conclude that aspirin and propranolol alone have marked suppressant effects on the adrenaline-stimulated activity of isolated auricles while aspirin-propranolol combination has no such effect. On the other hand, low dose of aspirin and propranolol have significant suppressant effects on the ischaemia-induced and reperfusion-induced tachyarrhythmias and the combination of aspirin and propranolol showed potentiation in this type of tachyarrhythmias