The effect of a garlic supplement on the pro-inflammatory adipocytokines, resistin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and on pain severity, in overweight or obese women with knee osteoarthritis.

Phytomedicine. 2018 Sep 15;48:70-75. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2018.04.060. Epub 2018 May 9. Dehghani S1, Alipoor E2, Salimzadeh A3, Yaseri M4, Hosseini M4, Feinle-Bisset C5, Hosseinzadeh-Attar MJ6. Author information 1 Department of Nutrition and Biochemistry, School of Public Health, International Campus, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2 Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 3 Rheumatology Research Center, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 4 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 5 National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC), Centre of Research Excellence in Translating Nutritional Science to Good Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Discipline of Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia. 6 Department of Nutrition and Biochemistry, School of Public Health, International Campus, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC), Centre of Research Excellence in Translating Nutritional Science to Good Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Discipline of Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia. Electronic address: mhosseinzadeh@tums.ac.ir. Abstract BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent degenerative joint disease, which is associated with chronic and disabling pain. The adipocytokines, resistin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), might play a role in OA pathogenesis and outcomes. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of a garlic supplement on serum resistin and TNF-α concentrations and on pain severity in overweight or obese women with knee OA. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-design trial. METHODS: In this study, 80 post-menopausal overweight or obese women (25 ≤ BMI ≤ 40 kg/m2, age 50-75 years) with mild to moderate knee OA were enrolled. Patients were randomly divided into two groups to receive twice-daily either garlic tablets (total: 1000 mg) or placebo for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measures were fasting serum concentrations of resistin and TNF-α, and pain severity (assessed using 0-10 point visual analogue scale (VAS)). RESULTS: At week 12, resistin concentrations were significantly decreased in the garlic group (6.41 ± 2.40 to 5.56 ± 2.16 ng/ml; P = 0.008). Serum TNF-α levels did not change significantly within or between the two groups. Pain scores were significantly reduced in the garlic (6.8 ± 2 to 5.3 ± 2.3; P = 0.002), but not in the placebo (6.7 ± 2.4 to 6.2 ± 2.5; P = 0.674), group. Pain scores were also significantly lower in the garlic, compared with the placebo, group following supplementation (5.3 ± 2.3 vs. 6.2 ± 2.5; P = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that garlic supplementation for 12 weeks might reduce pain severity in overweight or obese women with knee OA, which may, at least in part, be mediated via a reduction in the pro-inflammatory adipocytokine, resistin. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. KEYWORDS: Adipokine; Garlic; Inflammation; Joint pain; Obesity; Osteoarthritis PMID: 30195882 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2018.04.060 [Indexed for MEDLINE]