Protective effects of garlic and silymarin on NDEA-induced rats hepatotoxicity.
BACKGROUND
The present study was conducted to investigate the chemopreventive effects of garlic extract and silymarin on N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced hepatotoxicity in male albino rats.


RESULTS
Animals were pretreated with garlic, silymarin or both for one week prior to the injection of NDEA. Then animals received a single injection of NDEA followed by weekly subcutaneous injections of CCl(4) for 6 weeks. Oral administration was then continued along with the injection of CCl(4) for the duration of the experiment. Serum aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and glutathione reductase (GSR) were measured. Injection of NDEA induced a significant elevation in serum AST, ALT and ALP. In the liver, NDEA increased oxidative stress through the increase in LPO and decrease in SOD, and GSH-dependent enzymes. Although administration of garlic or silymarin significantly reduced the liver toxicity, combined administration was more effective in preventing the development of hepatotoxicity.


CONCLUSIONS
These novel findings suggest that silymarin and garlic have a synergistic effect, and could be used as hepatoprotective agents against hepatotoxicity.
Shaarawy
Sabry M
SM
Department of Cancer Biology, National Research Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Tohamy
Amany A
AA
Elgendy
Saad M
SM
Elmageed
Zakaria Y Abd
ZY
Bahnasy
Abeer
A
Mohamed
Maha S
MS
Kandil
Emad
E
Matrougui
Khalid
K
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D004052:Diethylnitrosamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005737:Garlic / Q000737:chemistry*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D012838:Silymarin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012997:Solvents / Q000633:toxicity*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D000077022:Survivin
C516989:Birc5 protein, rat; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012838:Silymarin; D012997:Solvents; D000077022:Survivin; D004052:Diethylnitrosamine; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D005978:Glutathione