Garlic is more effective in lowering blood pressure than a hypertension medication called atenolol, according to a new study in Pak. J. Pharm Sci.  R. Ashraf and colleagues from College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University in Abha, Saudi Arabia conducted the trial and found garlic tablets lowered both "systolic and diastolic blood pressure in both dose and duration dependent manner" in patients with essential hypertension. For the trial, 210 patients were assigned to receive garlic tablets in a dose ranging from 300 to 1500 mg in divided doses per day or a hypertension drug atenolol or placebo.  Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured at baseline, 12, and 24 weeks of intervention.  A significant reduction in blood pressure was found in patients who took the garlic supplement. (DL)

Ashraf R, Khan RA, Ashraf I, Qureshi AA. Pak J Pharm Sci. 2013 Sep;26(5):859-63.  Effects of Allium sativum (Garlic) on systolic and diastolic blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension.