Garlic contains
diallylsulfide (
DAS) and other structurally related compounds that are widely believed to be active agents in preventing
cancer. This study shows the effect of
DAS (a phenolic
antioxidant used in foods,
cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products) on
ferric nitrilotriacetate (
Fe-NTA)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Male albino rats of Wistar strain weighing 125-150 g were given a single dose of
Fe-NTA (9 mg kg(-1)
body weight, intraperitoneally) after 1 week of treatment with 100 and 200 mg kg(-1)
DAS in
corn oil respectively administered through the gavage.
Fe-NTA administration led to 2.5-fold increase in the values of both
alanine transaminase and
aspartate aminotransferase, respectively, and 3.2-fold increase in the activity of
lactate dehydrogenase, microsomal lipid peroxidation to approximately 2.0-fold compared to saline-treated control. The activities of
glutathione (GSH) and other
antioxidant enzymes decreased to a range of 2.2-2.5-fold. These changes were reversed significantly (p < 0.001) in animals receiving a pretreatment of
DAS.
DAS protected against hepatic lipid peroxidation,
hydrogen peroxide generation, preserved GSH levels, and GSH metabolizing
enzymes to 60-80% as compared to
Fe-NTA alone-treated group. Present data suggest that
DAS can ameliorate the toxic effects of
Fe-NTA and suppress
oxidant-induced tissue injury and hepatotoxicity in rats.