[Protective effect of garlic oil given at different time against acute liver injury induced by CCl4].
OBJECTIVE
To observe and compare the protective effect of garlic oil against carbon tetrachloride (CCL)-induced acute liver injury.


METHODS
The experiments include 4 preventive groups and 2 therapeutic groups. In every preventive and therapeutic group, the mice were randomized into 6 groups with 15 each, including one negative control group, one solvent control group, one CCl4 model group and 3 garlic oil groups (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg body weight). Before given a single gavage of CCl4 (80 mg/kg), the mice were pretreated with garlic oil by gavage in preventive group 1 (30 days, once daily), preventive group 2 (5 days, once daily), preventive group 3 (ahead of 2 h, once), preventive group 4 (immediately, once) or the vehicle (corn oil, 10 ml/kg) in solvent control group. In therapeutic groups, the mice were gavaged garlic oil 2 h (once, in therapeutic 1) or for 5 days (once daily, in therapeutic 2) after administration CCl. After 24 h of the last administration, blood was collected and centrifuged at 2500 r/min at 4 degrees C for 10 min, and serum was removed to measure ALT and AST activities. The liver was dissected, weighed to calculate the liver coefficient (relative liver weight). At the same time, the liver samples were studied by histological examinations.


RESULTS
Compared with negative group, the liver coefficient and the activities of ALT and AST in serum of model group were increased remarkably (P < 0.01). Compared with CCl model group, the liver coefficient and the activities of ALT and AST in serum were decreased significantly (P < 0.01) by garlic oil dose-dependently in each preventive group. Simultaneously, histological assessment showed that garlic oil effectively alleviated hepatocyte injuries induced by CCl4. Comparing the preventive effects of garlic oil in every group, it was better in preventive group 3 than others. However, all indexes and histological examinations in therapeutic group 1 did not show the difference with those of CCl4 model group. In therapeutic group 2, all indexes recovered after 5 d of CCl4 administration.


CONCLUSIONS
Garlic oil can prevent acute liver injury induced by CCl4 and the effect is better in ahead of 2 h group than others.
Zhang
Gui-li
GL
Institute of Toxicology, Shandong University,Jinan 250012, China.
Zeng
Tao
T
Wang
Qing-shan
QS
Zhao
Xiu-lan
XL
Song
Fu-yong
FY
Xie
Ke-qin
KQ
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005737:Garlic; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D010938:Plant Oils; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase