ABSTRACT
The present study aims to investigate the possible cardioprotective role of garlic on adult male Sprague-Dawely albino rats after stress exposure. Animals were exposed to stress by immersion in hot water for one day, one week and three weeks of stress. The myocardial activity was evaluated by estimating ECG, heart to body weight ratio, serum creatine phosphokinase [CPK-MB] activity, antioxidant enzymes activities, as well as histopathological alterations in cardiac muscle. Garlic was administered to the animals at a dosage of 250 mg/kg b.w.. Exposure for one day stress was of weak effect, while one week and three weeks of stress exposure were nearly of the same effect, causing significant changes in ECG, cardiac hypertrophy, elevation in serum CPK [MB] activity, significant decrease in the antioxidant enzyme activities and increase in MDA content, and significant alterations in histopathological analysis when compared with control. Supplementation of garlic [250 mg/kg b.w.] orally for one day stress exposed and one week stress exposed animals could not produce any significant change when compared to untreated stress exposed animals. However, after 28 days aqueous garlic homogenate supplementation has significantly improved ECG, decreased cardiac hypertrophy, decreased serum CPK [MB] activity, increased all the antioxidant enzyme activities and decreased MDA content as well as improved the myocardial histopathology compared the three weeks stress exposed group. The results indicated that stress exposure affects the myocardial function through direct effect: on the heart muscle, leading to arrhythmia and hypertrophy, and indirect effect: by generating free radicals and oxidative stress