study on the possible protective effect of garlic powder and Ginkgo-biloba extract against the hepatotoxicity of cisplatin on rats

ABSTRACT

Cisplatin is one of the most active cytotoxic agents in the treatment of cancer. Garlic and Ginko biloba are natural plants used as protective agents against different types of the toxicity. This study was carried out to determine the possible protective role of garlic powder or ginko biloba extract against cisplatin-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 270 +/- 30gm were divided into six groups, the 1[st] gp. used as control received orally 1 ml/kg/day of 0.9 saline by an oral carrier vehicle on days 1 to 4, the 2[nd] and 3[rd] gps., were treated orally, either with 500mg/kg garlic powder [GP] or 100mg/kg ginko-bilobaextract [GBE], the 4[th] gp. was injected with 10 mg/kg cisplatin intrapritoneally [i.p.] on the fifth day, once only. The 5th and 6th groups, 500 mg/kg/ day. p.o. [GP] and 100 mg/kg/day, p.o. [GBE] were administered for 4 days followed by single dose of cisplatin 10mg/kg, i.p. on the fifth day. Seventy two hours after treatment, the animals were sacrificed, the blood was collected for biochemical analysis. ROS and antioxidant detection as well as biopsies were taken for histopathological examination. It is clear from the present study that cisplatin significantly increased blood aspartate aminotransferase [AST] and serum alanine aminotransferase [ALT] levels, as well as liver body weight ratio by 43%, 38% and 20%, respectively, and significantly decreased protein and albumin levels by 18% and 19%, respectively when compared to control. Administration of GP and GBE, significantly decreased the levels of AST and ALT as well as liver body weight ratio by 25%, 24% and 15%, respectively, in case of GP and by 21%, 20% and 13%, respectively, in case of GBE and significantly increase the levels of protein and albumin by 14% and 13%, respectively, in case of GP and by 9% and 11%, respectively, in case of GBE when compared to cisplatin group. The reactive oxygen species [ROS] parameters showed a significant increase in malondehyde [MDA] by 378% and significant decrease in glutathione [GSH] and superoxide dismutase [SOD] by 56% and 31%, respectively, when compared with control. Administration of GP and GBE before cisplatin injection increased the activities of both GSH and SOD by 48% and 27% [with GP] respectively, and by 48% and 27% [with GBE] respectively, whereas, significantly decreased the level of MDA by 31% and 19%, respectively. The present data revealed that GP and GBE administration improved the liver histopathological lesions in rats injected with cisplatin. This study concluded that GP and GBE have a partial protective effect against the hepatotoxic effect of cisplatin