The Effect of Single Clove Garlic Extract (Allium sativum) Against Aspartame-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Background: Aspartame is a widely used synthetic sweetener used for dietary control and by diabetics. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the effect of a single garlic clove extract against aspartame-induced hepatotoxicity in diabetic rats. Methods: Forty-eight experimental male albino rats were randomly divided into eight groups (6 rats per group) as follows: Group (G)1: served as normal control and received distilled water orally, G2: rats treated with single clove garlic (SCG) extract (0.5 g/kg body weight), G3: rats were treated with SCG extract (0.5 g/kg body weight) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (200 mg/kg body weight), G4: rats treated with ASP (200 mg/kg body weight), G5: was the diabetic control group (induced by alloxan (ALX) 120 mg/kg body weight), G6: diabetic rats were treated with SCG extract (0.5 g/kg body weight), G7: diabetic rats were treated with SCG extract (0.5 g/kg body weight) and ASP (200 mg/kg body weight) and G8: diabetic rats were treated with ASP 200 mg/kg body weight. Results: The results obtained showed that treatment with ASP caused a significant increase in serum levels of serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and ASP in SCG extract-treated rats in G3 and G4 and diabetic rats in G7 and G8, while treatment with SCG extract caused a significant decrease in serum levels of ALT, AST and ALP in SCG treated rats in G2 and G6 and diabetic rats in G7 compared to the control group (G1). After treatment with ASP, histologic changes in the liver were observed in G4, which were more pronounced in G8, indicating liver damage compared to the control group, while treatment with SCG extract showed further changes in liver tissue in the diabetic rats of G7 and G8. Conclusion: The present study suggests that administering ASP in normal rats leads to liver dysfunction. Moreover, our results proved that the application of ASP in diabetic rats may cause additional damage compared to ASP in normal rats. This study demonstrated that treatment with SCG extract significantly attenuated the biochemical and histopathologic changes induced by ASP and alloxan. From the data obtained, it appears that treatment with SCG extract has a protective effect against the toxicity of ASF and alloxan on the liver of normal and diabetic rats.