The influences of garlic on growth, antioxidative effect, and lipid metabolism in hamsters

The purpose of this study was to compare the influences of heat-dried and freeze-dried garlic powder on growth, antioxidative effect and lipid metabolism in hamsters. Eighteen five-week old hamsters were divided into three groups and all were fed with a high cholesterol (0.5%) diet. One group did not have garlic in the diet and served as the control group (C); the diet of one group was added with 3% heat-dried garlic powder (HDGP) and diet of the other group was added with 3% freeze-dried garlic powder (FDGP). After 6 weeks of feeding, HDGP and FDGP groups with high cholesterol intake had similar blood lipid levels with the control group, but an inhibition of cholesterol and triglyceride accumulation in liver, and an increase in total bile acids and neutral steroids excretion in feces were observed (p <0.05). Both garlic-treated groups gained more weight and had better feed efficiency than the control group (p <0.05). Regarding the antioxidative effects, both HDGP and FDGP groups had lower plasma glutathione peroxidase activities and lower liver peroxides (TBARS) levels than the control group (p <0.05). We also found the ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acids decreased and DHA (22:6, n-3) concentration increased in liver, and the bleeding and clotting time were longer compared to the control group (p <0.05). Although FDGP group had better feed efficiency and accumulated less liver triglyceride than HDGP group (p <0.05), both HDGP and FDGP groups had similar effects on growth, bleeding time, clotting time and antioxidative effect in hamsters. Garlic has been suggested to be helpful to prevent the formation of peroxides, to inhibit the aggregation of platelets, and to prevent the formation of thrombosis.