title: Comparison of antiplatelet activity of garlic tablets with cardio-protective dose of aspirin in healthy volunteers: a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Some of the adverse effects of aspirin including peptic ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding and aspirin resistance compelled researchers to find a suitable alternative with fewer adverse effects. In this clinical trial, we aimed to find the effective antiplatelet dose of garlic.
  
  
  METHODS
  This randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) was conducted on 62 healthy volunteers of 20-50 years old. All volunteers used 80 mg aspirin per day for 1 week and at the end of this time, platelet aggregation (PA) induced by 4 agonists acting in aggregation pathway including adenosinediphosphate (20 μmol/l), epinephrine (20 μmol/l), collagen(0.19 mg/ ml) and arachidonic acid (0.5mg/ ml) was measured by Light Transmittance Aggregometry (LTA) in all participants. After one month washout period, volunteers were randomized into 3 groups and each received 1, 2 or 3 garlic tablets (1250 mg) a day for 1 month. After one month, PA was examined in all groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean ±SD of the age of all volunteers was 28.60 ± 9.00 years. In addition, 52.00 % of our volunteers were male and 48.00% of them were female. Garlic tablet didnot have significant effect on PA at any dose. However, 30% of volunteers in the group that used 3 garlic tablets/day reported adverse effect (i.e. bleeding). No significant association between sex, age and PA was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, we were unable to determine the effective anti-platelet dose of garlic which that could be equal to that of aspirin anti-platelet activity, as assessed LTA method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacotherapy, school of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shafiekhani
authors.affiliation: Department of phytopharmaceuticals, school of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Pouya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Faridi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, school of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Javad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kojuri
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacotherapy, school of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Soha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Namazi
keywords: Anti-Platelet; Aspirin; Garlic; Light transmittance aggregometry