AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF GARLIC (ALLIUM SATIVUM) ADMINISTRATION ALLEVIATES HIGH SALT DIET-INDUCED CHANGES IN THE AORTA OF ADULT WISTAR RATS: A MORPHOLOGICAL AND MORPHOMETRIC STUDY

Abstract

Objectives: This study was designed to determine the morphometric and histological changes of the wall of the thoracic aorta in high salt-fed adult Wistar rats and the possible ameliorative effects of aqueous extract of garlic (Allium sativum).
Methods: Twenty-five healthy female Wistar rats weighing 130–180 g were randomly assigned into five groups of five rats each (Groups A, B, C, D and E). Rats in Group A were fed with standard laboratory pellets, while Groups B, C, D and E were fed on the high-salt diet for five weeks. Thereafter, daily administration of 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg of the garlic extract were giving orally to Groups C, D and E, respectively for 3 weeks while rats in Groups A and B were administered distilled water. The thoracic part of descending aorta at the level of (T6–T7) was excised for histological studies. Paraffin sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin, Masson’s trichrome and Verhoeff-Van Gieson stains. One-way ANOVA was used to analyze data, followed by Student-Newman-Keuls (SNK) test for multiple comparisons.
Results: High salt diet causes significant histomorphological changes on aorta of rats as evidenced by increase in tunica intima, media and adventitia of the aortic wall and decrease in luminal diameter; these findings were reversed by aqueous garlic extract administration.
Conclusion: High salt diet increased the thickness of aortic wall and decreased luminal diameter which were significantly reversed by oral administration of garlic extract.

Keywords

• aorta
• garlic
• heart
• high salt-fed

References

1. Ashraf R, Aamir K, Shaikh AR, Ahmed T. Effects of garlic on dyslipidemia
2. in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Ayub Med
3. Coll Abbottabad 2005;17:60–4.
4. Pittler MH, Ernst E. Clinical effectiveness of garlic (Allium
5. sativum). Mol Nutr Food Res 2007;51:1382–5.
6. Augusti KT. Therapeutic value of onion (Allium cepa L.) and garlic
7. (Allium sativum L.). Indian J Exp Biol 1996;34:634–40.
8. Kaye AD, De Witt BJ, Anwar M, Smith DE, Feng CJ, Kadowitz

9. PJ, Nossaman BD. Analysis of responses of garlic derivatives in the
10. pulmonary vascular bed of the rat. J Appl Physiol 2000;89:353–8.
11. Batirel HF, Naka Y, Kayano K, Okada K, Vural K, Pinsky DJ, Oz
12. MC. Intravenous allicin improves pulmonary blood flow after
13. ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. J Cardiovasc Surg 2002;43:
14. –9.
15. Zbinden S, Seiler Ch. Phytotherapy in cardiovascular medicine.
16. Ther Umsch 2002;59:301–6.
17. Vazquez-Prieto MA, González RE, Renna NF, Galmarini CR,
18. Miatello RM. Aqueous garlic extracts prevent oxidative stress and
19. vascular remodeling in an experimental model of metabolic syndrome.
20. J Agric Food Chem 2010;58:6630–5.
21. Melzig MF, Krause E, Franke S. Inhibition of adenosine deaminase
22. activity of aortic endothelial cells by extracts of garlic (Allium
23. sativum L.). Pharmazie 1995;50:359–61.
24. Nishida Y, Ding J, Zhou M, Chen Q, Murakami H, Wu X.Z,
25. Kosaka H. Role of nitric oxide in vascular hyperresponsiveness to
26. norepinephrine in hypertensive Dahl rats. J Hypertens 1998;16:
27. –8.
28. Sofola OA, Knill A, Hainsworth R, Drinkhill M. Change in
29. endothelial function in mesenteric arteries of sprague–dawley rats
30. fed a high salt diet. J Physiol 2002;543:255–60.
31. Lenda DM, Sauls BA, Boegehold MA. Reactive oxygen species
32. may contribute to reduced endothelium dependent dilation in rats
33. fed high salt. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2000;279:H7–14.
34. Ni Z, Vaziri ND. Effect of salt loading on nitric oxide synthase
35. expression in normotensive rats. Am J Hypertens 2001;14:155–63.
36. Kagota S, Tamashiro A, Yamaguchi Y, Sugiura R, Kuno T,
37. Nakamura K, Kunitomo M. Downregulation of vascular soluble
38. guanylate cyclase induced by high salt intake in spontaneously
39. hypertensive rats. Br J Pharmacol 2001;134:737–44.
40. Luscher TF, Raij L, Vanhoutte PM. Endothelium-dependent vascular
41. responses in normotensive and hypertensive Dahl rats.
42. Hypertens 1987;9:157–63.
43. Wang DH, Du Y. Regulation of vascular type 1 angiotensin II
44. receptor in hypertension and sodium loading: role of angiotensin
45. II. J Hypertens 1998;16:467–75.
46. Strehlow K, Nickenig G, Roeling J, Wassmann S, Zolk O, Knorr
47. A, Bohm M. AT(1) receptor regulation in salt-sensitive hypertension.
48. J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 1999;277:H1701–7.
49. Wang JM, Veerasingham SJ, Tan J, Leenen FH. Effects of high
50. salt intake on brain AT1 receptor densities in Dahl rats. J Physiol
51. Heart Circ Physiol 2003;285:H1949–55.
52. Jamshid Ghiasi G, Yahya E, Ramin Salamatdout N. Effect of garlic
53. (Allium sativum) aqueous extract on serum values of urea, uricacid
54. and creatinine compared with chromium chloride in male rats.
55. Annals of Biological Research 2012;3:4485–90.
56. Obiefuna PC, Obiefuna IP. Salt-induced hypertension in rats
57. alters the response of isolated aortic rings to cromakalim. West
58. Indian Med J 2001;50:17–21.
59. Adigun SA, Akinyanjuola OB. Salt induced hypertension is maintained
60. by autonomic nervous system and calcium but not by rennin
61. angiotensin system, vasopressin and prostaglandin. Niger J
62. Physiol Sci 1991;7:88–99.
63. Drury RA, Wallington EA. Carleton's histological technique. 5th
64. ed. New York (NY): Oxford University Press; 1980. pp. 188-9,
65. -40, 290– 1.
66. Masson P. Some histological methods. Trichrome stainings and
67. their preliminary technique bulletin of the international association
68. of medicine. J Tech Methods 1929;12:75.
69. Verhoeff FH. Some new staining methods of wide applicability.
70. Including a rapid differential stain for elastic tissue. JAMA 1908;
71. :876.
72. Ofem O, Ani E, Okoi O, Effiang A, Eno A, Ibu J. Effect of Viscum
73. album (mistletoe) extract on some serum electrolytes, organ weight
74. and cytoarchitecture of the heart, kidney and blood vessels in high
75. salt-fed rats. The Internet Journal Nutrition and Wellness 2006;
76. Adewole SO, Adenowo T, Naicker T, Ojewole JA. Hypoglycaemic
77. and hypotensive effect of Ficus exasperata vahl. (Moraceae) leaf
78. aqueous extract in rats. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med
79. ;8:275–83.
80. Du Cailar G, Ribstein J, Daures JP, Mimran A. Sodium and left
81. ventricular mass in untreated hypertensive and normotensive subjects.
82. Am J Physiol 1992;263:H177–81.
83. Komolafe OA, Ofusori DA, Adewole OS, Ayoka AO, Bejide R.
84. Histological and histochemical studies of the aorta and pulmonary
85. trunk in STZ-induced diabetic Wistar rats treated with
86. Momordica charantia. International Journal of Morphology 2013;
87. :716–23.
88. Van Bortel LM, Struijker-Boudier HA, Safar ME. Pulse pressure,
89. arterial stiffness and drug treatment of hypertension. Hypertension
90. ;38:914–21.
91. Banerjee SK, Mukherjee PK, Maulik SK. Garlic as an antioxidant:
92. the good, the bad and the ugly. Phytother Res 2003;17:97–106.
93. Sharifi AM, Darabi R, Akbarbo N. Investigation of antihypertensive
94. mechanism of garlic in 2KIC hypertensive rat. J Ethnopharmacol
95. ;86:219–24.
96. Irani K. Angiotensin II-stimulated vascular remodeling. Circ Res
97. ;88:858–60.
98. Varagic J, Frohlich ED, Susic D, Ahn J, Matavelli L, López B.
99. AT1 receptor antagonism attenuates target organ effects of salt
100. excess in SHRs without affecting pressure. Am J Physiol Heart
101. Circ Physiol 2008;294:853–8.
102. Palmer BF. Managing hyperkalemia caused by inhibitors of the
103. rennin-angiotensin aldosterone system. N Engl J Med 2004;351:
104. – 92.