PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF ADMINISTRATION OF EITHER FRESH GARLIC OR AGED GARLIC EXTRACT ON THE LIVER DAMAGE ACCOMPANIED WITH AGING IN MALE ALBINO RATS

Many structural and functional changes in all body organs occur with aging. So, the present study was carried out to detect the changes that occur in the liver structure with aging and to evaluate the effect of administration of either fresh garlic or aged garlic extract on the treatment of these changes. Forty male albino rats were used in the present study; thirty were old rats and ten were adult ones. The old rats were divided into three equal groups: the first group was supplied with saline, the second group was supplied with fresh garlic and the third group was supplied with aged garlic extract. Liver specimens were obtained to investigate histological, histochemical and immunohistochemical changes. Moreover, DNA electrophoretic pattern was performed. The liver sections of aged rats showed disturbance of the radially arranged cords of hepatocytes and vacuolation of their cytoplasm. Collagen fibres around the central veins and portal tracts were observed. Depletion of both glycogen content and the activity of succinic dehydrogenase and an increase in the activity of acid phosphatase were observed. Moreover, apoptotic cells were significantly increased accompanied with degradation of DNA content. Administration of fresh garlic partly improved the age-related changes in the hepatic structure. These changes were markedly reduced under the effect of administrating aged garlic extract