Yoshinobu Ijiri, Junichiro Yamamoto, Tadayuki Wako and Masahiro Murakami
Prevention of arterial thrombotic diseases has high priority over treatment in developed countries. Unsuitable life style such as inappropriate quality and quantity of daily diet is known to increase the risk for acute thrombotic events, while a regular diet with proven antithrombotic effects might be beneficial in preventing the disease. The present study was undertaken as a part of a series of research in screening vegetables, fruits and medicinal herbs for antithrombotic activity by animal models of thrombosis. In the present study the effects of fifteen garlic varieties (accessions) on platelet reactivity and spontaneous (endogenous) thrombolytic activity were measured ex vivo from saline-diluted rat blood by the Global Thrombosis Test (GTT). All accessions showed antithrombotic activity but the activity varied between accessions. The heat stable antithrombotic activity was dominantly due to inhibition of platelet reactivity to high shear stress while the spontaneous thrombolytic activity was not affected. These findings suggest that daily intake of garlic as part of an antithrombotic diet may be beneficial for the prevention of arterial thrombotic disorders.
