Ehsan Shabani - MSc. Epidemiology Student Research Committee, Faculty of Health, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran,
Korosh Sayemiri - Associate Professor, Psychosocial Injuries Research Centre, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran,

Purpose: Several studies have been published on the role of garlic on lipid profile and blood glucose in diabetic patients and they have mostly reported contradictory results. This study aimed to investigate the effect of garlic on lipid profile and serum glucose levels in diabetic patients using a systematic review and meta-analysis.Methods: This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of articles published between 1988 and 2016. For this purpose, two independent researchers searched SID medical information databases, Mag Iran, Iran doc, Med lib, Iran Med ex, Science Direct, Scopus, Google and Pub Med using keywords. Data were analyzed using STATA software.Results: After the initial search, 23,000 articles were found, of which 33 had the required criteria for the meta-analysis. In the present study, the total sample under review was 1273 individuals, with a mean of 39 samples per study. Overall, the garlic was more influential than placebo in reducing the levels of lipid parameters (TG, TC, HDL, LDL), FBS and HBA1C. In the meta-analysis, levels of serum lipid parameters such as TC, HDL, LDL, TG in the group receiving garlic compared to placebo, respectively, decreased for 16.87 (95% CI, -21.01, -12.73) mg/dl (p = 0.001), increased for 3.19 (95% CI, 1.85, 4.53) mg/dl (p = 0.001), decreased for 9.65 (95% CI, -15.07, -4.23)) mg/dl (p = 0.001), and decreased for 12.44 (95% CI, -18.19, -6.69) mg/dl (p = 0.001). Also, levels of FBS, HBA1C serum reduced for 10.90 (95% CI, -16.40, -5.40) mg/dl (p = 0.001) and 0.60 (95% CI, -0.98, -0.22) mg/dl (p = 0.001), respectively.Conclusion: Garlic can reduce lipid parameters and serum glucose and be therapeutically effective in patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

Garlic, Serum lipids, Blood glucose, Meta-analysis