The effects of time-released garlic powder tablets on acute respiratory diseases in children

Abstract

In spite of commonly spread positive opinion about the antibacterial and antiviral properties of garlic, very few and fragmented data exist on the benefits of garlic and garlic-based preparations in the prevention of acute respiratory diseases (ARD). This study was performed to elucidate the effect of timereleased garlic powder tablets (Allicor) in prevention of ARD in children. At the first stage, in open-labeled 5-months study it has been shown that ARD morbidity was reduced by 2.4-fold in 172 Allicor -treated (600 mg daily) schoolchildren aged 7-16 as compared to 468 controls. At the second stage, the effects of Allicor (300 mg daily) on A RD morbidity were investigated in the double-blinded placebo-controlled randomized 5-months comparative study in 42 children aged 10-12 in comparison with 41 placebo-treated children and 73 benzimidazole-treated children. Allicor treatment reduced ARD morbidity by 2.4-fold as compared to placebo, and by 1.7-fold as compared to benzimidazole. Health index in Allicor-treated group was 1.5-fold higher as compared either to placebo- or benzimidazole-treated children. The results of this study have demonstrated that garlic powder tablets Allicor are effective in non-specific prevention of acute respiratory infections in children and possess no side effects. Additionally, the commonly used ARD prevention with benzimidazole turned to be entirely ineffective in placebocontrolled study, so the development of new useful and safe efficient drugs like garlic-based preparations is of ultimate importance.