Effect of garlic (Allium sativum) extract on reduction of total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol ratio in hypercholesterolemic rats

Abstract

Abstract. Priskila M, Ariningrum D, Suparyanti ES. 2008. Effect of garlic (Allium sativum Linn.) extract on reducing total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol ratio in hypercholesterolemic rats (Rattus norvegicus). Biofarmasi 6: 45-51. Garlic has been widely recognized as herbal medicine to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, and hyperlipidemia. The main bioactive compound, allicin, can influence cholesterol metabolism, reduce total cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. This research aimed to determine the effect of garlic extract on reducing total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol ratio in hypercholesterolemic rats. This research was experimental research with pre and post-test control group design. The research used male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) with ±3 mounts old and ±200 grams of body weight. The rats have divided into groups I and II; each group consisted of 15 rats. Before the treatment, all rats were induced by a high-cholesterol diet for two weeks to get a hypercholesterolemic condition. As a control group, Group I was induced by a high-cholesterol diet. In contrast, group II, the treatment group, was also induced by a high-cholesterol diet orally by 0.432 grams garlic extract /200 grams body weight/day. The treatment occurred for 25 days. The data were taken before and after the last treatment, by taking the blood from orbital sine of rats which has been fasted for 12 hours, and the level of serum cholesterol total and the level of serum HDL cholesterol were checked from both groups, then the results were analyzed with t-test. Based on the results, it could be concluded that the oral induction of 0.432 grams garlic extract /200 grams body weight/day for 25 days on rats could not reduce total cholesterol; therefore, the total serum cholesterol and HDL cholesterol ratio was not significant (p>0.05). Meanwhile, the decrease of total cholesterol in the treatment group and HDL cholesterol in both groups was significant (p<0.05).