Comparative effects of garlic oil with bezafibrate in patients with hyperlipidemia

ABSTRACT

In the present study, comparison of the effect of garlic oil [Garline] with that of bezafibrate [Bezalip] on the serum lipids was investigated in patients with hyperlipidemia. Both agents were given continuously for 3 months and the serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol were estimated monthly and the percent changes were calculated in respect to the pretreatment levels. The present work demonstrated that both garlic oil and bezafibrate produced significant reduction in the total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol levels. On the other hand, both agents produced significant increase in the HDL-cholesterol level. These changes in the serum lipids became significant when estimated after the first month of treatment with no further significant changes when determined after 2 or 3 months of treatment with either agents. Also, there was no significant difference between the effect of garlic oil and that of bezafibrate. The latter finding could suggest that garlic oil is a low cost effective hypolipidemic agent