Histological Evaluation of the Jejunum and Ileum of Rats after Administration of High Dose Garlic Aqueous Extract
Abstract
Objectives
This study investigated the adverse effects of excessive consumption of garlic on the small intestine (jejunum and ileum) of adult male Wistar rats
Methodology
Sixteen (16) Wistar rats with average weight of 181.5 g were grouped into two: Control Group A which received distilled water, and Treatment Group B which received 1000 mg/kg/ml aqueous extract of garlic, orally for 28 weeks. The aqueous extraction of raw garlic was done to obtain a concentration of 1000 mg/kg/ml. The animals were sacrificed by cervical dislocation after the last day of administration, and tissues for histological studies were fixed in buffered formalin, while those for enzyme studies were homogenised, and appropriate biochemical kits used to study the activities of acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).
Results
The histological sections of the jejunum of animals that received the high dose of aqueous garlic extract revealed the presence of vacuolations, cell death and loss of epithelium, and intact muscle layer; the Periodic-Acid Schiff (PAS) positivity also reduced, while the ileum also showed degeneration of the brush borders, loss of epithelial cells, reduction in the number of goblet cells, vacuolations, and a reduced intensity of PAS positivity. Activities of ACP, ALP and LDH in the jejunum and ileum were increased.
Conclusion
Consumption of excessive amount of garlic could cause structural changes to the intestinal tract, which are capable of affecting intestinal functions, such as decrease in glycogen activity in the small intestine, and impairment of the absorptive activities.Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).