The protective effects of single dose of
garlic oil (GO) on acute
ethanol-induced
fatty liver were investigated. Mice were treated with
ethanol (4.8 g/kg bw) to induce acute
fatty liver. The liver index, the serum and hepatic
triglyceride (TG) levels and the histological changes were examined to evaluate the protective effects. Hepatic
malondialdehyde (MDA),
glutathione (GSH) levels and
superoxide dismutase (SOD),
glutathione reductase (GR),
glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px),
glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities were determined for the
antioxidant capacity assay. Acute
ethanol exposure resulted in the enlargement of the liver index and the increase of the serum and hepatic TG levels (P<0.01), which were dramatically attenuated by GO pretreatment in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.01). GO treatment (simultaneously with
ethanol exposure) exhibited similar effects to those of pretreatment, while no obviously protective effects were displayed when it was used at 2h after
ethanol intake. Histological changes were paralleled to these indices. Beside this, GO dramatically prolonged the drunken time and shortened the waking time, and these effects were superior to those of
silymarin and
tea polyphenol. In addition, GO dose-dependently suppressed the elevation of MDA levels, restored the GSH levels and enhanced the SOD, GR and GST activities. Compared with the
ethanol group, the MDA levels decreased by 14.2% (P<0.05), 29.9% and 32.8% (P<0.01) in GO groups 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively. The GST activity increased by 9.97%, 19.94% (P<0.05) and 42.12% (P<0.01) of the
ethanol group in GO groups 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively, while the GR activity increased by 28.57% (P<0.05), 37.97% (P<0.01), 50.45% (P<0.01) of the
ethanol group in GO groups 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively. These data indicated that single dose of GO possessed ability to prevent acute
ethanol-induced
fatty liver, but may lose its capacity when used after
ethanol exposure. The protective effects should be associated with its antioxidative activities.