AMELIORATIVE EFFECT OF GARLIC ON CHOLESTEROL INDUCED MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR WALL OF ADULT WISTAR RATS

Abstract

This study is designed to investigate the effect of cholesterol and cholesterol in thepresence of aqueous extract of garlic on the cardiovascular wall of adult Wistar rats.A total of twenty Wistar rats (both sex) weighing 200-275 grams were used in thestudy. The rats were randomly assigned into four groups of five rats per group.Group A served as the control while Group B, C and D served as the treatmentgroups. Group A received no treatment, Group B was fed a high cholesterol diet,Group C received garlic treatment and Group D was fed a high cholesterol diet andalso received garlic treatment. The Aqueous garlic extract was administered at adose of 250mg /kg / body weight via orogastric tube for a period of 30 days (4weeks). The rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation method on the 31st day of theexperiment. Blood sample was collected by cardiac puncture for cholesterol analysis.The heart and blood vessel was carefully harvested and fixed in 10% formal salinefor histological studies using haematoxylin and eosin procedures. The Findingsindicated that high cholesterol fed rats when compare with the control showed thatthere was a significant increase in cholesterol level (P > 0.05) and also there wasno significant difference in the cholesterol level (P > 0.05) in garlic treated rats fedwith high cholesterol diet. The rats fed a high cholesterol diet showed a significantdamage to the intima of blood vessel of the heart and other blood vessels as well asconsequent myocardial injury. However with injection of garlic there was a protectiveresponse by reduction in blood cholesterol and activation of the local immunesystem. This led to minimal injury to both the heart and blood vessels. It isrecommended that garlic may be beneficial to reduce damage of cholesterol to thecardiovascular and induce local protective immune response.