title: Effect of intraabdominal administration of Allium sativum (garlic) oil on postoperative peritoneal adhesion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Peritoneal adhesion is a serious problem that develops after most abdominopelvic surgeries. Allium sativum (garlic) has been used for centuries as both a nutrient and a traditional medicine. The anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, fibrinolytic, and wound-healing properties of garlic are well-recognized. We evaluated the effect of garlic on formation of postoperative adhesions in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty Wistar-Albino female rats weighing 200-250 g were randomly divided into three groups (10 rats/group). Group 1 rats received 5 ml/kg garlic oil intraperitoneally and no surgery was performed. The ceca of Group 2 rats (controls) were scraped, to trigger adhesion formation, and no treatment was given. In Group 3 rats, 5 ml/kg garlic oil was added to the peritoneal cavity immediately after the cecum was scraped. All animals were sacrificed 10 d after surgery and adhesions graded in terms of severity and histopathologic characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All animals tolerated the operations well. No adhesions were evident upon laparotomy of Group 1 animals. In Group 2 three rats had an adhesion grade 2 and seven rats had an adhesion of grade 3, whereas in Group 3 no adhesions were found in four rats, five rats had an adhesion grade of 1. Only one rat had a grade 2 adhesion. Macroscopic adhesions and mean adhesion scores of Group 3 were significantly lower than Group 2 (p<0.001). Histopathologic evaluation of the specimens also revealed a statistically significant differences in inflammation, fibrosis, and neovascularization scores between Group 2 and 3 (p=0.001, p=0.001, and p=0.011, respectively). Inflammation, fibrosis and vascularization scores in Group 3 were found significantly lower than Group 2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, fibrinolytic, antithrombotic, and wound-healing effects of garlic likely prevent formation of peritoneal adhesions in a rat model, and garlic may be effective and cheap when used to prevent such adhesions in humans.
authors.affiliation: Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kozlu, Zonguldak, Turkey. Electronic address: drsahbazahmet@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sahbaz
authors.affiliation: Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kozlu, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.affiliation: Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kozlu, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oner
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Aynioglu
authors.affiliation: Izmir Tepecik Education and Research Hospital, Department of Gynaecologic Oncology, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kemal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gungorduk
authors.affiliation: Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Kozlu, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Banu Dogan
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Gun
mesh_terms: D000498:Allyl Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D002432:Cecum / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010532:Peritoneal Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013440:Sulfides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000498:Allyl Compounds; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D013440:Sulfides; C038491:allyl sulfide
keywords: Adhesion; Allium sativum; Garlic; Peritoneal; Postoperative; Prevention