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Protective effect of aged garlic extracts against hepatotoxicity induced by ethephon in Wistar albino rat

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Abstract

The current study was designed to demonstrate the hepatoprotective effect of aged garlic extract (AGE) against ethephon-induced liver toxicity in rats. Sixty male Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups as follows: the control group; AGE group was administered with 250 mg/kg; the ethephon group was orally given 200 mg/kg; and AGE + ethephon group was treated with ethephon for 4 weeks and then given AGE for another 4 weeks using the same dosage. The ethephon administration impaired the balance between oxidants and antioxidants as evidenced by the increased level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the decreased concentration of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH). Biochemical findings showed a significant decrease in the red blood corpuscles (RBCs) count, hemoglobin (Hb) content, and hematocrit (HCT) level, with a significant increase in the white blood cells count. In addition, ethephon produced a significant decrease in levels of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) with a decrease in albumin level. Furthermore, histological investigation showed dilation of the hepatic central vein and dilation of blood sinusoids which were congested with inflammatory cellular infiltrate. Moreover, examination of the liver using transmission electron microscopy showed a disturbance in the nuclear membranes and degenerating mitochondria with a rise in the cytoplasmic vacuoles by cellular edema. Interestingly, AGE administration was found to attenuate the histological deformations and biochemical alteration produced by ethephon. These findings suggest that AGE supplementation could be used to reverse the hepatic injury following ethephon exposure through its antioxidant capacity.

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Funding

This study was funded by Taif University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia

    Ashraf Al-Brakati

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  1. Ashraf Al-Brakati
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Correspondence to Ashraf Al-Brakati.

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All experiments protocols including the use animals were approved by the Committee of Research Ethics for Laboratory Animal Care, Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Taif University (approval no, 40-36-0190) in accordance with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Guidelines for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, 8th edition (NIH Publication No. 85–23, revised 1985).

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Responsible editor: Mohamed Abdel-Daim

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Al-Brakati, A. Protective effect of aged garlic extracts against hepatotoxicity induced by ethephon in Wistar albino rat. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 6139–6147 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-07148-w

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