Ameliorative Role of Allicin in Arsenic-Induced Liver and Gonad Apoptosis in Male <i>Swiss</i> Albino Mice (<i>Mus musculus</i>)

Abstract

Arsenic toxicity is a matter of concern in the present-day world. Arsenic, a potentially hazardous metalloid easily gets biomagnified through the food chain and also affects not only the vital organs such as the kidney, and liver of human beings but also the reproductive organs of males. This study was designed to propose allicin, the main bio-active component of garlic to address arsenic toxicity more efficiently and without any side effects apart from the costly conventional chelation therapy which is not free from various side effects. To conduct this study, allicin has been quantified and collected from ethanolic extract of garlic by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) using C18 column at 254nm wave-lengths against standard allicin at the retention time of 18.775min. The calculated concentration of allicin is 77.80%. Next, arsenic trioxide (As2O3) (20mg/kg) and allicin (100mg/kg) were administered orally for toxicity and treatment respectively in mice (Mus musculus) for 30 days. Compared to the control group, liver marker enzymes i.e., Serum Glutamic Pyruvate Transaminase (SGPT), Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase (SGOT), and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) levels were significantly increased in the arsenic-induced group. On the other hand, co-treatment with allicin significantly recovered liver enzyme parameters to normal levels (p<0.05). Decreased weight of testis, sperm count, and increased numbers of Sperm Head Anomalies (SHA) indicate reduced reproductive potential in the arsenic-induced group of male albino mice. On the contrary, co-treatment with allicin significantly increased testis weight, sperm count and decreased SHA count (p<0.05). On examining histological slides of the liver and testis, normal histo-architecture was observed in both control and arsenic-induced allicin co-treated groups; whereas damage was observed in the arsenic-induced group. Generated data pointed out that allicin offers significant protection to the mammalian liver and male gonad (testis) against arsenicinduced toxicity.