The effect of garlic consumption on Helicobacter pylori treatment using urea breath test: a randomized clinical trial

There have been a number of reports indicating that garlic caninhibit helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in vitro; however, there is few clinical trialsevaluating its effect in human infection. The aim of this study was to assess theeffect of garlic consumption on urea breath test (UBT) results in patients with H.pylori infection. We performed a randomized case-controlled design on 36 outpatientsdiagnosed with H. pylori infection. In order to confirm the presence of H. pyloriinfection, the UBT was performed and in order to examine the presence ofinflammation and/or ulcer in stomach, esophagus and duodenum, upper endoscopywas performed at the beginning and the end of the study. The patients in the casegroup took four grams of garlic powder daily (two tablets each containing twograms of garlic powder) whereas the patients in the control group took twoplacebo tablets (each containing two grams of white flour) for 8 weeks. The average age was 40.87± 16.45 in case groups and 35.40±11.26 in thecontrol group. In the control group, 47% were men and 53% women, 80% marriedand the rest were single. At the beginning of the study, all the patients had positiveUBT. At the end of this study, the results of UBT showed that the H. pyloriinfection was negative in 87% of cases and 73% of control group showingeradication of H. pylori infection; however the eradication in case group was notsignificantly more than control group. This study did not support a role for garlic in the treatment of H.pylori infection.