Effect of essential oil of onion and garlic on experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits.

The effects of the essential oils of onion (extracted from 2 g of raw onion per kg body weight) and garlic (extracted from 1 g of raw garlic per kg body weight) have been observed on experimental atherosclerosis produced by cholesterol feeding (0.5 g/kg) in rabbits. The rise in serum cholesterol and serum triglycerides was significantly reduced by both onion and garlic during the 4-month period of study. Cholesterol feeding significantly increased beta-(P less than 0.01) and pre-beta (P less than 0.001) lipoproteins while decreasing the alpha-fraction (P less than 0.001). Onion and garlic both prevented these changes. The beta/alpha ratio, which was initially 1.6 : 1, rose to 4.5 : 1 and 5.7 : 1 at the end of 2 months and 4 months of cholesterol feeding. However, this ratio did not increase significantly, both at the 2-month and 4-month period, when onion and garlic were added. Fibrinolytic activity significantly increased with onion (P less than 0.001) and garlic (P less than 0.001) while feeding only cholesterol actually decreased it (P less than 0.001). Onion and garlic reducec aortic atheroma by about half. It is suggested that the essential oils of onion and garlic protect against experimental atherosclerosis by preventing the fall in the alpha lipoprotein fraction and by enhancing fibrinolytic activity, as well as by lowering the serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels.