Hepatoprotective role of garlic (Allium sativum) on nickel-induced liver injury in albino Wistar rats

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the protective effect of garlic on nickel induced impairment of liver function. Thirty-two female albino Wistar rats  were divided into 4 groups. Control group fed a standard diet, the second group (Ga) received garlic 20 g/kg diet, while the third group (Ni) was given  nickel 800 mg/L in their drinking water as NiSO₄6H₂O. The fourth group (Ni+Ga) was treated daily with both nickel and garlic. The experiment was lasted  for 28 days. The exposure to nickel led to significant decrease in body weight and food intake with an increase of liver weight. Nickel treatment also  produced oxidative liver injury characterized by an increase of glucose, glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT),  alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bilirubin and malonaldehyde (MDA). Simultaneously, serum total proteins, liver reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase  (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione superoxide dismutase (SOD) were decreased. The supplementation of garlic restored a partial the  previous parameters. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that garlic has potent antioxidants activity which revealed by the amelioration of  nickel hepatotoxicity. In other words, garlic has a protective effect towards damages induced by nickel.