Inhibitory Effect of Dry Garlic Powder on the Nickel Chloride-induced Somatic and Germinal Cell Damages in Male Mice

Background: Nickel is commonly used in industry, utensils and also present in cigarette. Over-exposure of nickel is known to cause several health complications including somatic and germinal cell injuries. Garlic (Allium sativum) being a spice has several pharmacological properties. However, its role on the nickel chloride induced somatic and reproductive cells damages are poorly studied in the literature.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of garlic powder on nickel chloride induced somatic and germinal cell damages in male mice.

Methods: Dried garlic clove powder is used in this study in three doses via., 50. 100 and 150 mg/kg, per oral (p.o) for 4-weeks against the nickel chloride [(10 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (i.p)] induced somatic and germinal damages. Somatic cells damages were studied using peripheral micronucleus test and germinal cell damages by sperm count and sperm shape abnormalities in male mice. Further, the in-vitro hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity of the garlic was evaluated. Ascorbic acid was tested as a standard drug. The data of the results were analyzed by One-way Anova and Tukey as post hoc test.

Results: The result indicated that nickel chloride enhanced significantly (p<0.001) both somatic and germinal cell damages compared to control animals. The administration of garlic powder at 150 mg/kg significantly (p<0.001) minimized the frequency of micronuclei in the erythrocytes and reduced the spermatozoa anomalies compared to the nickel chloride group. The garlic powder also exhibited significant hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity.

Conclusion: The data indicated that garlic powder at 150 mg/kg reduced the cellular damaging effects of nickel chloride on somatic and germinal cells and the mechanism could be related to the free radical scavenging activity.