In a new clinical study of individuals with moderately elevated cholesterol levels, Pharmactive Biotech Products, S.L.U.'s Aged Black Garlic (ABG+®) demonstrated new potential to balance blood pressure favorably.
ABG+ is grown and cultivated locally, just two hours from Pharmactive's facility, and gently processed using green technology. The process generates very low waste and significantly reduces the environmental impact.
Results were published in the science journal Nutrients on January 18, 2022[1], the randomized, double-blind, sustained, crossover-controlled intervention was conducted at the Sant Joan de Reus University Hospital in Barcelona. The study was led by Dr. Rosa Valls, and included 67 adult hypercholesterolemic volunteers with relatively high blood LDL levels.
Each participant consumed 250mg ABG+ or a placebo over six weeks, with a three-week washout period before crossover. Subjects also were assigned a set diet that excluded lipo-lowering and anti-hypertensive foods.
Results at six weeks demonstrated that ABG+ extract significantly reduced diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by 5.85mm Hg on average compared to the placebo. The favorable reaction was particularly evident in men. "A reduction of just 5mm Hg of diastolic blood pressure lowers substantially the risk of stroke and other vascular events," explains Alberto Espinel, Head of R&D for Pharmactive.
High blood pressure affects nearly a third of adults worldwide and is the leading preventable risk factor for cardiovascular problems and all-cause mortality. The risks associated with common cardiovascular problems and stroke double with every 10mm Hg diastolic increase among people aged 40 to 89.
Green Production
The garlic cloves turn dark and assume a soft, jellylike texture while losing the characteristic pungent garlic flavor as it turns sweet. During this process, the aged bulbs undergo substantial biochemical changes. The main organosulfur compounds in fresh garlic—alliin and allicin—are diminished. Yet a powerful bioactive complex of soluble polyphenols, predominantly SAC, flavonoids, and melanoidins, is significantly increased. The synergetic action of these antioxidants is believed to be the primary source of the cardioprotective qualities of ABG+.
Pharmactive's ABG+ extract is standardized to 1.25mg S-allyl-L-cysteine (SAC) polyphenols. It is produced using the company's proprietary ABG Cool-Tech® aging technique. Its rich concentration of SAC is confirmed by HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography).
"SAC is virtually absent in fresh garlic, yet is synthesized and accumulated during aging under specific ambient conditions," explains Espinel.
"This is some of the first evidence emerging on the blood pressure-balancing effect of an ABG+ extract, as a natural alternative, in a population where the strategies of intervention are based on diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle," continues Espinel.
