Radiation protection and anti-oxidative effects of garlic, onion and ginger extracts, x-ray exposed albino rats as model for biochemical studies

Abstract

�The present study investigates and examines the comparative effects of plant extracts such as, garlic, ginger and onion on some organs (liver, kidney and heart) of x-ray exposed rats, using and assaying some biochemical enzymes. Twenty (20) albino rats with an average weight of (155.00 ± 2.01 g), divided into five groups were used for the study. The rats with exception of the control were exposed to x-ray with ionizing radiation at a dose of 525 kv/s. The results indicate some toxicity conferred on the rats were reversed when fed with diet containing garlic, ginger and onion, as evidently shown in some of the biochemical parameters examined that includes: body weight gain, plasma and femur alanine aminotransferase (ALP) activity; enzymatic changes in super oxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) level in the liver, kidney and heart. Feeding with ginger, garlic and onions extracts failed to restore the x-ray induced inhibition of aldenylate oxidase (AO) and sulphite oxidase (SO) activities in the liver and heart. Data of the study indicates that garlic and onions had more beneficial effects on radiation induced toxicity in rats, as increased body weight gain (P<0.05) of rats caused by radiation which was reduced by feeding with garlic and onion by -65.11 and -30.02%, respectively as against radiation exposed rats fed ginger (-3.17%) compared to rats treated with only x-ray. Together, the results obtained from this study suggest that garlic, ginger and onion may have significant anti-radiation properties, bearing the reversal and restoration observed after radiation exposure on some of the investigated biochemical parameters. Such properties properly harnessed will be helpful in combating cellular oxidative stress.