ABSTRACT
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of garlic (Allium sativum) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) on some heamato-biochemical parameters, blood pressure and their cardioprotective properties in laboratory animals. Wistar rats were assigned into seven (7) groups as mentioned below: Group 1: served as control group and received 1 ml/kg of distilled water, Group 2: received 20 mg/kg of garlic, Group 3: received 40 mg/kg of garlic; Group 4: received 20 mg/kg of ginger; Group 5: received 40 mg/kg of ginger; Group 6: received 10 mg/kg of garlic and 10 mg/kg ginger; Group 7: received 20 mg/kg of garlic and 20 mg/kg of ginger. All administrations were given orally once daily for a period of 28 days. At the end of the treatment, all animals were sacrificed; blood samples collected and the serum separated for determination of liver enzymes activities, lipid profile assay, biochemical and heamatological parameters. The liver tissue was excised and subjected to routine histological investigation. The effects of the various doses of both extracts on cat blood pressure, and isolated perfused rabbit heart were also studied. Results represented as mean � SEM were compared using ANOVA. The study showed that the cholesterol (51.27 � 5.29 versus 106.97 � 2.41), Triglycerides (27.20 � 7.16 versus 86.14 � 4.15), Low density lipoprotein (13.49 � 9.28 versus 64.16 � 4.23), Na+ (118.55 � 5.24 versus 141.52 � 118 mmol/L), Ca2+ (0.64 � 0.027 versus 0.86 � 0.038 mmol/L), Haemoglobin concentration (11.87� 0.23 versus 18.26 � 0.58 g/dL), PCV (35.60 � 0.68 versus 54.80 � 1.77%), Mean arterial blood pressure (43.8 � 2.53 versus 59.9 � 0.84 mmHg), and force of contraction (87.60 � 1.94 versus 91.80 � 0.20 mV) were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in groups treated with garlic + ginger as compared with the control group. While the High density lipoprotein (62.73 � 2.23 versus 21.57 � 1.91), K+ (7.94 � 0.27 versus 4.68 � 0.19 mmol/L) and Red blood cell (5.51 � 0.079 x 1012 /L versus 4.21 � 0.078 x 1012 /L) were significantly higher in groups treated with garlic + ginger as compared to control. The combination of both extracts significantly decreased (P < 0.05) the leucocytes counts (4.31 � 0.75 versus 12.03 � 0.28), ALT (87.40 � 9.39 versus 115.60 � 7.84 IU/L), AST (26.0 � 1.30 versus 41.80 � 4.68 IU/L), and ALP (12.47 � 0.96 versus 38.88 � 2. 89 IU/L) as compared to the control. The combined effects of both extracts did not differ significantly (P < 0.05) from the single effect except for the liver enzymes and White blood cell count. The cholesterol and Low density lipoprotein lowering effect produced by both extracts is probably due to increased lipid oxidation and bile excretion, while the observed decrease in mean arterial blood pressure may be due to the effect of anaesthesia on the animals. These results suggest that the combination of garlic and ginger extracts may be cardioprotective but toxic to the liver and kidney.