Abstract

Garlic (Allium sativum L., Liliaceae) is a nature’s boon to mankind, which has played an important dietary and therapeutic medicinal role throughout the history of mankind. Aluminum (Al) is a potent neurotoxin and has been associated with Alzheimer's disease causality for decades. The study aims to demonstrate the ameliorative effect of garlic extract against aluminium-induced toxicity in rat model. Animals received aluminium nitrate 32.5 mg/kg (1/2 LD₅₀ of Al (NO₃)₃ i.p.) once only. Different doses of garlic extract (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) was administered for 3 days after 24 h of Al exposure. The activity of AChE was inhibited in all the parts of the brain, significant rise was observed in the activities of serum LDH, AST and ALT whereas serum protein was declined after toxicant exposure. The activity of δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase in blood and δ-aminolevulinic acid synthetase in brain depicted fall after Al exposure. Al provoked significant increase in the level of cholesterol, triglyceride, creatinine and urea level in serum. TBARS level, total and esterified cholesterol in liver, kidney and brain were significantly higher with concomitant fall in reduced glutathione content during toxicity. Garlic markedly attenuated oxidative stress by scavenging various free radicals significantly restored the deranged biochemical variables. Histopathological changes in liver, kidney and brain were also recouped and biochemical findings substantiated. Results of present study concluded that garlic can counteract the deleterious effects of aluminium.

Key words: Garlic extract, aluminium, oxidative stress, liver, kidney, brain.