Background: There have been a number of reports indicating that garlic can inhibit helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in vitro; however, there is few clinical trials evaluating its effect in human infection. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of garlic consumption on urea breath test (UBT) results in patients with H. pylori infection.
Methods: We performed a randomized case-controlled design on 36 outpatients diagnosed with H. pylori infection. In order to confirm the presence of H. pylori infection, the UBT was performed and in order to examine the presence of inflammation and/or ulcer in stomach, esophagus and duodenum, upper endoscopy was performed at the beginning and the end of the study. The patients in the case group took four grams of garlic powder daily (two tablets each containing two grams of garlic powder) whereas the patients in the control group took two placebo tablets (each containing two grams of white flour) for 8 weeks.
Results: The average age was 40.87± 16.45 in case groups and 35.40±11.26 in the control group. In the control group, 47% were men and 53% women, 80% married and the rest were single. At the beginning of the study, all the patients had positive UBT. At the end of this study, the results of UBT showed that the H. pylori infection was negative in 87% of cases and 73% of control group showing eradication of H. pylori infection; however the eradication in case group was not significantly more than control group.
Conclusion: This study did not support a role for garlic in the treatment of H. pylori infection.