Abstract:
PURPOSE : To investigate the potential prophylactic effect of S-allyl cysteine (SAC), found in garlic
(Allium sativum), against the development of apro-inflammatory status induced by diet in neonatal rats
later on in adulthood.
METHODS : Suckling Wistar rat pups (4-day-old; male = 21 and female = 21) were randomly allocated
to either of 3 groups and orally gavaged daily with the following treatments from postnatal day (PND) 6
– 20: group 1 (control) - 10 mL/kg distilled water; group 2 - 10 mL/kg of 20 % w/v fructose solution (FS)
and group 3 - 10 mL/kg FS + SAC. The rat pups were weaned on PND 21, and given ad libitum access
to standard rat chow and plain drinking up to PND 115. The rats were euthanized on PND 116 and
plasma was collected for the determination of interleukins (IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10), vascular endothelial
growth factor (VEGF) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1)] using Bio-Plex Pro magnetic beadbased
assays on Bio-Plex platform.
RESULTS : Oral administration of FS during suckling increased significantly (p < 0.05) plasma
concentrations of IL-5, MCP-1 and VEGF in adult male rats, and plasma MCP-1 in adult female rats.
Neonatal oral administration of SAC prevented FS-programmed increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines
(p < 0.05) later on in adulthood.
CONCLUSION : Oral administration of SAC during the neonatal period protected against FS-induced proinflammatory
status and thus, could possibly be exploited as a prophylactic or intervention agent against
a pro-inflammatory status induced by a high fructose diet.
