Pharmacological and antioxidant actions of garlic and/or onion in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD] in rats

ABSTRACT

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD] includes a broad spectrum of fat-induced liver injury, ranging from mild steatosis to cirrhosis and liver failure. This study investigates the hepatoprotective properties of garlic and onion in NAFLD rat model. Ninety male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 9 groups; normal [I], NAFLD induced with high fat diet [HFD; II], NAFLD switched to regular diet [RD; III], NAFLD-HFD or NAFLD-RD treated with garlic [IV, V] onion [VI, VII] or the combined garlic+onion [VIII, IX] respectively. A NAFLD rat model was established by feeding the animals with a high-fat diet for 12 wk. These animals were then treated with garlic or/and onion or vehicle for 8 wk [weeks 13-20] and then killed to obtain serum samples and liver tissues. Liver histology, lipids, parameters of oxidative stress, TNF-alpha and TGF-p were measured. The liver in NAFLD-HFD showed typical steatosis, accompanied with mild to moderate lobular inflammatory cell infiltration. Serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, leptin, cholesterol, triglycerides, TNF-alpha, TGF-P and hepatic MDA were significantly increased [P<0.05] compared with normal group. This was accompanied with reduction of hepatic GSH, GR, GPx, GST, SOD and serum adiponectin. These changes were to a less degree in NAFLD-RD group. Combined administration of garlic+onion produced a better and significant decrease in liver steatosis, serum liver enzymes, oxidative markers and lipid peroxidation versus each one alone. In the same time, NAFLD-induced inflammation was also mitigated via reduction of TNF-alpha and TGF-P. In addition, these results were better in the group IX versus group VIII