ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the effects of allicin (All) in combination with lycopene (Lyc) against target organ damage and oxidative stress induced by hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Methods: SHRs aged 10 weeks were randomly divided into four groups (n=8 in each group): SHR, SHR+All, SHR+Lyc, and SHR+All+Lyc. SHR in SHR+All, SHR+Lyc and SHR+All+Lyc groups were intraperitoneally or intragastrically administered with 15 or 7.5 mg/(kg•d) of All and Lyc at the same time daily for 6 weeks. Male WKY rats were intraperitoneally injected with the same volume of normal saline and served as normotensive controls (WKY group). Six weeks later, histopathological changes of thoracic aorta and kindeys were evaluated by HE staining and according to Paller's method. The indexes of oxidation (MDA) and antioxidants (SOD, CAT and GSH) in serum or thoracic aorta were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Production of intracellular superoxide anion was stained by dihydroethidium (DHE) staining and detected using laser scanning confocal microscope. Results: SHR+Lyc+All group significantly ameliorated arterial wall thickening and inflammatory injury of the kindey in SHR compared with SHR+All group and SHR+Lyc group. Administration of All combined with Lyc significantly increased activities of antioxidative enzymes (SOD and GSH) and the content of CAT in aortas when compared with those of SHR and SHR receiving All or Lyc administration alone (P<0.05). In addition, the combined treatment of All with Lyc also significantly reduced the contents of MDA and O2- of SHR compared to SHR (P<0.05). Conclusion: This combination of All and Lyc can reduce target organ damage and level of oxidative stress induced by hypertension, which may be attributed to their regulations on ROS level, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities.