Protective Effect of Allium sativum against Liver Injury Induced by Anti-Tubercular Drugs in Rats

Allium sativum has been reported to have a lot of therapeutic potentials such as antihypertensive, antimicrobial and hypocholesterolemic. This study has investigated its effect on anti-tubercular drugs hepatotoxicity. Wistar albino rats were pretreated and co-administered orally with aqueous solution of Allium sativum. Eighteen rats were divided into six groups of three rats each. Group 1 were normal, while Group 2 were test control administered with anti-tubercular drugs; isoniazid (27 mg/kg bw) and rifampicin (54 mg/kg bw). Groups 3 and 4 were pretreated with 100 and 200 mg/kg of Allium sativum for 28 days, then administered with isoniazid and rifampicin at doses 27 and 54 mg/kg respectively for same duration. In groups 5 and 6, same doses of Allium sativum and anti-tubercular drugs were administered concurrently for twenty eight days. Serum levels of Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) and unconjugated bilirubin (uBIL) were estimated 24 h after administration of the last dose. The results showed that pretreatment and co-administration of Allium sativum solution significantly reduced (p<0.05) serum ALT, AST and ALP activities and uBIL concentration in the rats, compared to the test control administered with antitubercular drugs only, to induce liver damage. The results suggest that aqueous extracts of Allium sativum can be said to have protective effect on anti-tubercular drugs hepatotoxicity in rats.