prophylactic role of garlic and vitamin e in hepatotoxicity induced by isoniazid and rifampicin in albino rats

Administration of Isoniazid [INH] and Rifampicin [RIF] the most common medication prescribed against tuberculosis, produces many metabolic and morphological aberrations in liver due to the fact thai liver is the main detoxifying site for these antitubercular drugs. This work was done to study the hepatoprotective effect of garlic and vitamin [vit] E aginst hepatotoxic effect of INH, and RIF. The expriemental work was done in Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University in a period of April to June 2011. One hundred and sixty adult male albino rats weighting 150-200 grams were divided into seven groups, one control and the other six for the drugs. Control group is subdivided into four subgroups [la, Ib, Ic, Id]. Group II ingested Garlic oil, group III ingested vitamine E, group IV ingested INH+ RIF, group V ingested INH+ RIF+ Garlic oil, group VI ingested INH+ RIF+ vit E, and finally group VII ingested INH+ RIF+ Garlic oiH vit E. The ingestion was done through orogastric tube. After four weeks biochemical studies [ALT, AST, and Total Bilirubin] were done for all rats in all groups, then the rats were sacrified and histopathological studies were done for their livers. Biochemical analysis revealed significant increased in AST, ALT, and Total Bilirubin in the group IV, V, VI and VII in comparison with control groups, and revealed significant decrease in the group V, VI, and VII in comparison with group IV. Histopathological examination of the group IV revealed necro-inflammatory foci with infilteration of the hepatic lobules with inflammatory cells and inflammation in the portal tract. Histopathological examination of the liver section of group V, VI, and VII showed mild necrosis and inflammation in hepatic lobules, and showed mild inflammation in the portal tract. We concluded that the liver is highly affected by ingestion of INH and RIF. But ingestion of garlic and /or vit E which is naturally occurring antioxidants can decrease this harmful effect of these two drugs on the liver