Effect of garlic supplementation to atherogenic diet on collagen biosynthesis in various tissues of rabbits.

Feeding of cholesterol-rich diet to male rabbits increases collagen biosynthesis and accumulation in aorta, liver, kidney, heart and lungs. However, when garlic supplemented atherogenic diet was fed to the animals, the above effects were partially suppressed particularly in the aorta. Cholesterol content of plasma, aorta and liver, which was tremendously increased on atherogenic diet, was suppressed when garlic was included in this diet. It is suggested that garlic possibly reduced the accumulation of collagen through more mobilisation of lipids and/or decreased biosynthesis and maturation of collagen. Histopathological studies also supported this view.