garlic
Garlic attenuates chrysotile-mediated pulmonary toxicity in rats by altering the phase I and phase II drug metabolizing enzyme system.

Ameen M, Musthapa MS, Abidi P, Ahmad I, Rahman Q.

Fibre Toxicology Division, Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, Lucknow 226 001, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Asbestos and its carcinogenic properties have been extensively documented. Asbestos exposure induces diverse cellular events associated with lung injury. Previously, we have shown that treatment with chrysotile shows significant alteration in phase I and phase II drug metabolizing enzyme system. In this study we have examined some potential mechanisms by which garlic treatment attenuates chrysotile-mediated pulmonary toxicity in rat. Female Wistar rats received an intratracheal instillation of 5 mg chrysotile (0.5 mL saline) as well as intragastric garlic treatment (1% body weight (v/w); 6 days per week). Effect of garlic treatment was evaluated after 1, 15, 30, 90, and 180 days by assaying aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH), glutathione (GSH), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and production of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in rat lung microsome. The results showed that AHH and TBARS formation were significantly reduced at day 90 and day 180 in chrysotile treated garlic cofed rats; GSH recovered 15 days later to the near normal level and GST elevated significantly after treatment of garlic as compared to chrysotile alone treated rat lung microsome. The data obtained shows that inhibition of AHH activity and induction of GST activity could be contributing factor in chrysotile-mediated pulmonary toxicity in garlic cofed rats. However, recovery of GSH and inhibition of TBARS formation by garlic and its constituent(s) showed that garlic may give protection by altering the drug metabolizing enzyme system. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 17:366-371, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.10100

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14708092&dopt=Abstract garlic



garlic
Garlic supplementation increases peripheral blood flow: a role for interleukin-6?

Anim-Nyame N, Sooranna SR, Johnson MR, Gamble J, Steer PJ.

Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Imperial College School of Medicine, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Road, London, SW10 9NH, UK. n.anim ic.ac.uk

There is considerable epidemiological and clinical evidence that regular garlic supplementation reduces cardiovascular risk. In this study, we have investigated the hypothesis that dietary garlic supplementation increases tissue blood flow and this is mediated by the vasodilatory actions of interleukin-6 (IL-6). Venous occlusion plethysmography was used to measure resting calf blood flow before and after oral administration of 600 mg of garlic tablets once daily for 7 days in 13 young healthy female volunteers (treatment group) and 13 female controls matched for age and body mass index (BMI). Blood samples were obtained at the time of plethysmography to measure plasma levels of IL-6, nitrate, nitrite and c-GMP. In the treatment group, calf blood flow increased significantly from 3.01 (2.56 to 3.3) ml min(-1) 100 mL(-1) of tissue before garlic to 3.46 (3.0 to 4.03) ml min(-1) 100 mL(-1) of tissue after 7 days of garlic (P = 0.001). Plasma IL-6 concentrations increased significantly from 54.6 (32.3 to 151.6) mcg/mL before to 151 (135.75 to 422.3) mcg/mL after 7 days of garlic (P = 0.02). However, there was no significant change in the plasma levels of nitrate, nitrite and c-GMP after the garlic (P = 0.4, 0.9 and 0.65 respectively). In the control group, resting calf blood flow and plasma levels of IL-6, nitrite, nitrate and c-GMP remained unchanged after 7 days (P = 0.62, 0.92, 0.28 and 0.35 respectively). Calf blood flow showed a non-linear correlation with plasma IL-6 levels after garlic supplementation (r = 0.86, p = <0.001) but not before. There was no significant relationship between blood flow and plasma nitrate, nitrite and c-GMP in either groups and between blood flow and IL-6 in the control group. These data suggest that garlic supplementation increases resting tissue blood flow and this may be mediated by IL-6.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14711458&dopt=Abstract garlic



garlic
Identification and immunologic characterization of an allergen, alliin lyase, from garlic (Allium sativum).

Kao SH, Hsu CH, Su SN, Hor WT, Chang T WH, Chow LP.

Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Garlic (Allium sativum) is one of the most common relishes used in cooking worldwide. Very few garlic allergens have been reported, and garlic allergy has been rarely studied. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to identify allergenic proteins in garlic and to investigate their importance in allergies to other Allium species (leek, shallot, and onion). METHODS: A crude extract of garlic proteins was separated by SDS-PAGE and 2-dimensional electrophoresis; immunoblotting was then performed with the use of individual and pooled sera from patients with garlic allergy, and the major IgE-binding proteins were analyzed by amino acid sequencing and mass spectrometry. The putative allergens were further purified by chromatography; the antigenicity, allergenicity, and IgE-binding cross-reactivity of the purified protein were then studied by immunoblotting, periodate oxidation, skin tests, and IgE-binding inhibition assays. RESULTS: A major allergen, alliin lyase, was identified by mass spectrometry and Edman sequencing and purified to homogeneity through the use of a simple 2-step chromatographic method. Skin tests showed that the purified protein elicited IgE-mediated hypersensitive responses in patients with garlic allergy. Periodate oxidation showed that carbohydrate groups were involved in the antigenicity, allergenicity, and cross-reactivity. Garlic alliin lyase showed strong cross-reactivity with alliin lyases from other Allium species, namely leek, shallot, and onion. CONCLUSIONS: Alliin lyase was found to be a major garlic allergen in a garlic-allergic group of patients in Taiwan. The wide distribution of alliin lyase in Allium suggests it may be a new cross-reactive allergen.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14713923&dopt=Abstract garlic



garlic
Chronic garlic administration protects rat heart against oxidative stress induced by ischemic reperfusion injury.

Banerjee SK, Dinda AK, Manchanda SC, Maulik SK.

Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical sciences, New Delhi - 110029 India. banerjees74 hotmail.com

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress plays a major role in the biochemical and pathological changes associated with myocardial ischemic-reperfusion injury (IRI). The need to identify agents with a potential for preventing such damage has assumed great importance. Chronic oral administration of raw garlic has been previously reported to augment myocardial endogenous antioxidants. In the present study, the effect of chronic oral administration of raw garlic homogenate on oxidative stress induced by ischemic-reperfusion injury in isolated rat heart was investigated. RESULTS: Raw garlic homogenate (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg once daily for 30 days) was administered orally in Wistar albino rats. Thereafter, hearts were isolated and subjected to IRI (9 min. of global ischemia, followed by 12 min of reperfusion; perfusion with K-H buffer solution; 37 degrees C, 60 mm Hg.). Significant myocyte injury and rise in myocardial TBARS along with reduction in myocardial SOD, catalase, GSH and GPx were observed following IRI. Depletion of myocardial endogenous antioxidants and rise in TBARS were significantly less in the garlic-treated rat hearts. Oxidative stress induced cellular damage as indicated by ultrastructural changes, like disruption of myofilament, Z-band architecture along with mitochondrial changes were significantly less. CONCLUSIONS: The study strongly suggests that chronic garlic administration prevents oxidative stress and associated ultrastructural changes, induced by myocardial ischemic-reperfusion injury.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12182765&dopt=Abstract garlic



garlic
Effect of garlic oil on ethanol induced gastric ulcers in rats.

Khosla P, Karan RS, Bhargava VK.

Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India.

Garlic oil was evaluated for gastroprotective activity against ethanol induced ulcers. Reactive oxygen species are involved in the pathogenesis of these ulcers. The possible involvement of garlic oil in restraining the oxidation process produced in gastric tissue was also investigated. The ulcer index, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activity (GPx, catalase, SOD) were determined. Pretreatment with garlic oil in doses of 0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg, 30 min before administration of ethanol (1 mL of 100%) caused a decrease in ulcer index and lipid peroxidation and ameliorated the decrease in antioxidant enzyme levels caused by ethanol. The result suggests that garlic oil possesses antioxidant properties and provides protection against ethanol induced gastric injury. Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14750208&dopt=Abstract garlic