The effectiveness of garlic extract on blood lead levels among employees in battery manufacturing in Samut Prakan province

Authors

  • Ueampohn Faculty of Public Health, Burapha University
  • Anamai Thetkatheuk Faculty of Public Health, Burapha University
  • Chatchawin Petchlert Faculty of Science, Burapha University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14456/dcj.2021.90

Keywords:

Garlic extract, Blood lead level, Battery manufacturing, Lead-exposed worker

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of garlic extract on blood lead concentration levels in workers exposed to lead. The participants in this study were production line assemblers who work in the battery manufacturing plant in Samut Prakan province. In this experimental study, all data were collected using personal questionnaires, data recording forms and blood sample collection for lead levels. Analysis on 90 participants of production line workers was carried out. Before starting the experiment, all subjects were required to fill out their personal information and to determine baseline blood lead assessments then classified into three groups (n=30 per group). Group one was a control group (the participants who took placebo), the other two groups were experiment groups (intake 900 mg and 1,200 mg garlic extract). Each group was allowed to continuously intake garlic extract for 14 days. The results were found that the reduction of blood lead levels after taking garlic extract 900 mg per day was statistically significant (p = 0.044) whereas blood lead levels for taking 1200 mg of garlic extract per day were not different. Blood lead concentration levels in the three groups were compared following the experiment and differentiation was observed (p = 0.016), group 2 significantly different from group 1 and 3 (p = 0.016 and p = 0.011 as follows), whereas the differentiation between group 1 and group 3 was not an exception. However, the mean differences in blood lead levels between garlic extract and control groups were no different. Although lead levels in the blood prior and after testing of group 2 are statistically different, they cannot reduce lead levels in clinical terms. So it may be assumed that the garlic has no effect on reducing lead levels in the blood. For further study, the longer duration of the garlic substance intake should be considered. The measurement of lead levels in urine in comparison to lead levels in blood should also be examined.

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Published

2021-12-25

How to Cite

1.
Ueampohn, Thetkatheuk A, Petchlert C. The effectiveness of garlic extract on blood lead levels among employees in battery manufacturing in Samut Prakan province. Dis Control J [Internet]. 2021 Dec. 25 [cited 2024 Mar. 28];47(4):1038-50. Available from: https://he01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/DCJ/article/view/246796

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Original Article