Abstract

Food derived antioxidants have a strong potential effect on the long term as chemopreventive agents in disease states involving oxidative stress, such as hepatitis. This study was done to clarify the potential effect of garlic oil in protecting the liver from lipopolysaccharide-induced hepatitis in D-galactosamine sensitized rats. Sixty male albino rats were used in the study. They were divided into four groups (15 rats in each) as follow: Group I (control group) received normal saline, group II (garlic group) received garlic oil orally, group III (DGa1N/LPS intoxicated) received normal saline orally for 15 days and then injected intraperitoneally by DGa1N/LPS for induction of hepatitis and group IV (garlic pretreated) received garlic oil (200 mg/kg body weight/day) for 15 days and then injected by DGa1N/LPS.DGaIN/LPS induced hepatic damage in rats manifested as significant increase in the mean levels of serum liver enzymes and production of oxidative stress manifested as significant increase in urinary F₂- isoprostane (lipid peroxidation parameter), AOPP (protein oxidation parameter) and urinary 8-hydroxyguanosine (parameter of oxidative DNA damage). The damage of liver tissue is also confirmed by the histopathological examination. Pretreatment with garlic oil significantly ameliorated the toxic effect of DGa1N/LPS on the liver.

Key words: Hepatitis, galactosamine, oxidative stress, garlic oil.