The protective effect of garlic oil on hepatotoxicity induced by acetaminophen in mice and comparison with N-acetylcysteine

OBJECTIVE: The aim and purpose of this study was to find out the protective effect of garlic oil in liver toxicity induced by acetaminophen overdose and the comparison of its effect with N-acetylcysteine in albino male mice (18-22g).

METHODS: This study was undertaken during the period from January 1999 through to August 2000, at the School of Pharmacy, Ahwaz University of Medical Sciences, Ahwaz, Iran. All animals were fasted over night and were divided into 8 groups. Each group consisted of 10 mice. Garlic oil was administered intraperitoneally in doses of 100mg/kg, 200mg/kg and 500mg/kg. Immediately after this, a toxic dose of acetaminophen (500mg/kg orally) was administered followed by another administration one hour later (500mg/kg orally). Twenty-four hours after the last administration, blood was withdrawn from the juagular vein of the mice and serum enzyme activities were measured and compared with the control groups. The liver samples were studied for the histopathological examination.

RESULTS: The results in group which received 200mg/kg of garlic oil showed good protection activity as compared with the positive control group. The histopathological observations also showed that the area of liver damage was reduced significantly as compared with the positive control group. The severity of injury was variable among the animals and there was less evidence of necrosis in this group. Some protection was observed in other doses of garlic oil but these were not much significant. The results obtained one hour after acetaminophen intoxication (post treatment) showed a less protective effect as compared with the group which received garlic oil simultaneously after acetaminophen intoxication.

CONCLUSION: Garlic oil, as similar to N-acetylcysteine, can eliminate electrophilic intermediates and free radicals through conjugation and reduction reactions. Therefore it protects the liver from toxic doses of acetaminophen. In the present study we also observed the protection by the garlic oil. The clearance of the toxic metabolites of the acetaminophen from the liver occurs much faster in immediate treatment with garlic oil (200mg/kg).