Musing: The Effects of Garlic Extract Upon Endothelial Function, Vascular Inflammation, Oxidative Stress and Insulin Resistance in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes at High Cardiovascular Risk.

Dean Reinke
Deans' Stroke Musing

Saturday, January 16, 2016

If we had any strategy at all for stroke this study would be followed up because of endothelial function. But it won't be because we have NO leadership in stroke and fucking failures of stroke associations. Would this work in stroke patients without diabetes? 

The Effects of Garlic Extract Upon Endothelial Function, Vascular Inflammation, Oxidative Stress and Insulin Resistance in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes at High Cardiovascular Risk.
Journal of Diabetes and its Complications, 01/08/2016

Atkin M, et al. – This study tested the hypothesis that Aged Garlic Extract (AGE) may improve endothelial function, oxidative stress, vascular inflammation and insulin resistance in high risk cardiovascular subjects with type 2 diabetes. In this group of type 2 diabetic patients at high cardiovascular risk, 4 weeks treatment with AGE did not significantly improve endothelial function, vascular inflammation, oxidative stress or insulin resistance.

METHODS

• A double blind, placebo controlled cross-over pilot study was performed in 26 subjects with type 2 diabetes who received 1200mg of AGE or placebo daily for 4 weeks with a 4 week washout period.
• Plasma HsCRP was measured as a marker of inflammation.
• Plasma TAOS,blood GSH/GSSG and plasma LHP were measured as markers of oxidative stress/anti-oxidant defence.
• Insulin resistance was measured using the HOMA-IR method.
• Endothelial function was measured using change in the reflective index (RI) post salbutamol using digital photoplethysmography and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio was measured as a biochemical surrogate.
• Measurements were taken at baseline and after intervention with AGE or placebo.

RESULTS

• Of the 26 patients studied (Male 17, Female 9), age was 61 ± 8 yrs (mean ± 1 SD), HbA1c 7.2 ±1.1%, BP 130/75 ±15.9/9.8 mmHg , total cholesterol 4.2 ±0.81mmol/l, triglyceride 2.11 ± 1.51mmol/l, HDL-cholesterol 1.04 ± 0.29mmol/l.
• The majority of patients were being treated with metformin (59%), aspirin (50%) and statin (96%) therapy. 36% were treated with an ACEI.
• There were no changes in these therapies throughout the study.
• Treatment with AGE had no significant effect upon the above metabolic parameters including insulin resistance.
• Treatment with AGE also had no significant effect on markers of endothelial function (plethysmography), oxidative stress (TAOS, GSH/GSSG, LHP) or inflammation (HsCRP).

See the original article:

The Effects of Garlic Extract Upon Endothelial Function, Vascular Inflammation, Oxidative Stress and Insulin Resistance in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes at High Cardiovascular Risk.

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