Garlic Extract Inhibits the Enhanced Peroxidation and Production of Lipids in Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Liver Injury

Abstract

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl⁴) enhances lipid peroxidation, resulting in triglyceride accumulation in the liver. In this report, we studied the therapeutic, but not the preventive, effect of garlic extract on CCl⁴-intoxicated liver, in comparison to the effect of vitamin E. Garlic extract was given orally to mice in the dose of 10, 100 or 500 mg/kg at 6 hr after CCl⁴ administration. The increased conjugateddiene level was diminished significantly to 82% by the 100 mg/kg extract, and also thiobarbituric acid-reactivity was inhibited by all the doses of the extract. In addition to the above mentioned effects, the high doses of garlic extract lowered hepatic triglyceride and lipid contents. Highly significant and positive correlation was observed between hepatic triglyceride content and conjugated-diene level in the lipid fraction of the liver. Besides, vitamin E at the dose of 25 mg/kg inhibited only lipid peroxidation. We, therefore, conclude that not only is garlic extract effective on diminution of lipid peroxide and on alteration of peroxidative status to more reductive condition like the effect of vitamin E, but it also inhibits hepatic triglyceride accumulation in injured liver.