***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
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    Input: AIM To evaluate a hypotensive action of long-acting garlic powder tablets allicor in patients with mild or moderate hypertension and to compare allicor effects with those of foreign analog -- kwai garlic tablets . MATERIAL AND METHODS A double-blind , r and omized and placebo-controlled study enrolled 85 patients with mild or moderate hypertension . The patients were divided into 4 groups : group 1 received allicor in a dose 600 mg/day , group 2 - -2400 mg/day , group 3 - -kwai in a dose 900 mg/day , group 4 - -placebo . RESULTS Allicor produced reaction in both systolic and diastolic pressure . An increase of allicor daily dose to 2400 mg does not provide an additional hypotensive effect .  Kwai results in only systolic but not diastolic arterial pressure lowering . CONCLUSION Allicor is more effective than kwai in reduction of diastolic blood pressure . It can be recommended as a hypotensive treatment in mild and moderate arterial hypertension This study examined the effects of garlic and fish-oil supplementation ( alone and in combination ) on fasting serum lipids and lipoproteins in hypercholesterolemic subjects . After an initial run-in phase , 50 male subjects with moderate hypercholesterolemia were r and omly assigned for 12 wk to one of four groups : 1 ) 900 mg garlic placebo/d + 12 g oil placebo/d ; 2 ) 900 mg garlic/d + 12 g oil placebo/d ; 3 ) 900 mg garlic placebo/d + 12 g fish oil/d , providing 3.6 g n-3 fatty acids/d ; and 4 ) 900 mg garlic/d + 12 g fish oil/d . In the placebo group , mean serum total cholesterol , low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) , and triacylglycerols were not significantly changed in relation to baseline . Mean group total cholesterol concentrations were significantly lower with garlic+fish oil ( -12.2 % ) and with garlic ( -11.5 % ) after 12 wk but not with fish oil alone .  Mean LDL-C concentrations were reduced with garlic+fish oil ( -9.5 % ) and with garlic ( -14.2 % ) but were raised with fish oil ( + 8.5 % ) . Mean triacylglycerol concentrations were reduced with garlic+fish oil ( -34.3 % ) and fish oil alone ( -37.3 % ) . The garlic groups ( with and without fish oil ) had significantly lower ratios of total cholesterol to high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol ( HDL-C ) and LDL-C to HDL-C. In summary , garlic supplementation significantly decreased both total cholesterol and LDL-C whereas fish-oil supplementation significantly decreased triacylglycerol concentrations and increased LDL-C concentrations in hypercholesterolemic men . The combination of garlic and fish oil reversed the moderate fish-oil-induced rise in LDL-C. Coadministration of garlic with fish oil was well-tolerated and had a beneficial effect on serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations by providing a combined lowering of total cholesterol , LDL-C , and triacylglycerol concentrations as well as the ratios of total cholesterol to HDL-C and LDL-C to A double-blind crossover study comparing the effect of aged garlic extract with a placebo on blood lipids was performed in a group of 41 moderately hypercholesterolemic men [ cholesterol concentrations 5.7 - 7.5 mmol/L ( 220 - 290 mg/dL ) ] . After a 4-wk baseline period , during which the subjects were advised to adhere to a National Cholesterol Education Program Step I diet , they were started on 7.2 g aged garlic extract per day or an equivalent amount of placebo as a dietary supplement for a period of 6 mo , then switched to the other supplement for an additional 4 mo . Blood lipids , blood counts , thyroid and liver function measures , body weight , and blood pressure were followed over the entire study period . The major findings were a maximal reduction in total serum cholesterol of 6.1 % or 7.0 % in comparison with the average concentration during the placebo administration or baseline evaluation period , respectively . Low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol was also decreased by aged garlic extract , 4 % when compared with average baseline values and 4.6 % in comparison with placebo period concentrations . In addition , there was a 5.5 % decrease in systolic blood pressure and a modest reduction of diastolic blood pressure in response to aged garlic extract . We conclude that dietary supplementation with aged garlic extract has beneficial effects on the lipid profile and blood pressure  of moderately hypercholesterolemic subjects The efficacy and tolerance of a garlic preparation ( Sapec , Kwai ) was investigated in a r and omized double-blind study vs. bezafibrate . This multi-centre study was conducted in 5 general medical practice s and involved 98 patients with primary hyperlipoproteinaemia . The daily doses of the active substances were 900 mg of garlic powder ( st and ardized as to 1.3 % alliin ) and 600 mg of bezafibrate , respectively . The pre-phase with placebo lasted 6 weeks , the treatment period covered 12 weeks . All patients were advised to observe a low-fat " step-1 diet " for the duration of the study . The 98 case report forms allowed the statistical evaluation of total cholesterol , HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels for 94 patients , and of LDL cholesterol values for 92 patients . In the course of the treatment both study medications caused a statistically highly significant reduction in total cholesterol , in LDL cholesterol and triglycerides , and an increase in HDL cholesterol . However , there was no significant difference in the efficacies of both medication groups . Side effects were mentioned by 5 patients each in both treatment groups , none of which led to the withdrawal of the patients . Concerning the garlic preparation , there was no correlation between the perception of garlic odour and the influence on the cholesterol level BACKGROUND Prehypertension is considered a precursor of stage 1 hypertension and a predictor of excessive cardiovascular risk . We investigated whether pharmacologic treatment of prehypertension prevents or postpones stage 1 hypertension . METHODS Participants with repeated measurements of systolic pressure of 130 to 139 mm Hg and diastolic pressure of 89 mm Hg or lower , or systolic pressure of 139 mm Hg or lower and diastolic pressure of 85 to 89 mm Hg , were r and omly assigned to receive two years of c and esartan ( Atac and , AstraZeneca ) or placebo , followed by two years of placebo for all . When a participant reached the study end point of stage 1 hypertension , treatment with antihypertensive agents was initiated . Both the c and esartan group and the placebo group were instructed to make changes in lifestyle to reduce blood pressure throughout the trial . RESULTS A total of 409 participants were r and omly assigned to c and esartan , and 400 to placebo . Data on 772 participants ( 391 in the c and esartan group and 381 in the placebo group ; mean age , 48.5 years ; 59.6 percent men ) were available for analysis . During the first two years , hypertension developed in 154 participants in the placebo group and 53 of those in the c and esartan group ( relative risk reduction , 66.3 percent ; P<0.001 ) . After four years , hypertension had developed in 240 participants in the placebo group and 208 of those in the c and esartan group ( relative risk reduction , 15.6 percent ; P<0.007 ) . Serious adverse events occurred in 3.5 percent of the participants assigned to c and esartan and 5.9 percent of those receiving placebo . CONCLUSIONS Over a period of four years , stage 1 hypertension developed in nearly two thirds of patients with untreated prehypertension ( the placebo group ) . Treatment of prehypertension with c and esartan appeared to be well tolerated and reduced the risk of incident hypertension during the study period . Thus , treatment of prehypertension appears to be feasible . ( Clinical Trials.gov number , NCT00227318 . ) OBJECTIVE To determine whether garlic extract therapy is efficacious and safe in children with hypercholesterolemia . DESIGN R and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled clinical trial . SETTING Specialized pediatric lipid disorders ambulatory clinic . PARTICIPANTS Thirty pediatric patients , aged 8 to 18 years , who had familial hyperlipidemia and a minimum fasting total cholesterol level greater than 4.8 mmol/L ( > 185 mg/dL ) . INTERVENTION An 8-week course of a commercially available garlic extract ( Kwai [ Lichtwer Pharma , Berlin , Germany ] , 300 mg , 3 times a day ) or an identical placebo . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Absolute and relative changes in fasting lipid profile parameters . RESULTS The groups were equivalent at baseline and compliance was similar in the 2 groups ( P = .45 ) . There was no significant relative attributable effect of garlic extract on fasting total cholesterol ( + 0.6 % [ 95 % confidence interval , -5.8 % to + 6.9%1 ) or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( -0.5 % [ 95 % confidence interval , -8.7 % to + 7.6 % ] ) . The lower limits of the confidence intervals did not include -10 % , the minimum relative attributable effect believed to be clinical ly important . Likewise , no significant effect was seen on the levels of high-density lipoprotein , triglycerides , apolipoprotein B-100 , lipoprotein ( a ) , fibrinogen , homocysteine , or blood pressure . There was a small effect on apolipoprotein A-I ( + 10.0 % [ 95 % confidence interval , + 1.2 % to + 16.5 % ] P=.03 ) . There were no differences in adverse effects between groups . CONCLUSION Garlic extract therapy has no significant effect on cardiovascular risk factors in pediatric patients with familial hyperlipidemia PURPOSE To assess the effects of st and ardized garlic powder tablets on serum lipids and lipoproteins , glucose , and blood pressure . SUBJECTS AND METHODS Forty-two healthy adults ( 19 men , 23 women ) , mean age of 52 + /- 12 years , with a serum total cholesterol ( TC ) level of greater than or equal to 220 mg/dL received , in a r and omized , double-blind fashion , either 300 mg three times a day of st and ardized garlic powder in tablet form or placebo . Diets and physical activity were unchanged . This study was conducted in an outpatient , clinical research unit . RESULTS The baseline serum TC level of 262 + /- 34 mg/dL was reduced to 247 + /- 40 mg/dL ( p < 0.01 ) after 12 weeks of st and ard garlic treatment . Corresponding values for placebo were 276 + /- 34 mg/dL before and 274 + /- 29 mg/dL after placebo treatment . Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) was reduced by 11 % by garlic treatment and 3 % by placebo ( p < 0.05 ) . There were no significant changes in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol , triglycerides , serum glucose , blood pressure , and other monitored parameters . CONCLUSIONS Treatment with st and ardized garlic 900 mg/d produced a significantly greater reduction in serum TC and LDL-C than placebo . The garlic formulation was well tolerated without any odor problems The ingestion of garlic has been reported to have many cardiovascular effects , including a reduction in plasma cholesterol concentration and the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation . A double-blind , placebo-controlled , r and omised crossover study was conducted in subjects with mild to moderate hypercholesterolaemia who were subject to strict dietary supervision and assessment . After a baseline dietary period of 28 days , subjects took Kwai garlic powder tablets 300 mg three times daily or matching placebo for 12 weeks , followed by 28 days washout , followed by a 12 weeks crossover on the alternative preparation . In the analysis hypercholesterolaemia was defined as those subjects in the range 5.5 - 8.05 mmol/l . Three subjects were withdrawn , one allocated to garlic and complaining of garlic body odour , one using placebo having intercurrent health problems , and one with a baseline cholesterol below 5.5 mmol/l , yielding analysable results in 28 subjects . Comparing the period on garlic with that on placebo , there were no significant differences in plasma cholesterol , LDL cholesterol , HDL cholesterol , plasma triglycerides , lipoprotein(a ) concentrations , or blood pressure . Mean LDL cholesterol concentration was 4.64 + /- 0.52 mmol/l 
    Output:
    
Conclusion Our meta- analysis suggests that garlic preparations are superior to placebo in reducing blood pressure in individuals with hypertension