Abstract

Background:
Nicotine exposure causes cellular damage by generating ROS, leading to inflammation. DNA damage, and diseases such as atherosclerosis. Single-clove garlic extract (SCGE) contains antioxidants like allicin and flavonoids may counteract nicotine’s harmful effects by reducing pro inflammatory cytokines, suggesting SCGE’s potential as a natural therapeutic intervention to support good health.

Aim:
This study aimed to investigate the effects of single-clove garlic extract (SCGE) against nicotine induced pneumotoxicity in rats by assessing its impact on TNF-α, IL-6, and structural integrity tracheal, pulmonary, and coronary artery tissues.

Methods:
The subjects of this study were 30 male rats which were divided into 5 treatment groups: the following: T1 (negative control), T2 (3 mg/mL of nicotine), and T3 (3 mg/mL of nicotine and 3.6 mg/day vitamin C), T4; T5; T6 groups (3 mg/mL nicotine and 75; 100; 125 kg/mg BW of SCGE). A nicotine exposure followed by oral SCGE was administered twice a day consecutively for 14 days. The TNF-α and IL-6 expression was evaluated using immunohistochemical staining. Histopathology of the tracheal and pulmonary organs and coronary arteries using H&E staining.

Results:
In the T4, T5, and T6 groups revealed that TNF-α and IL-6 levels were significantly lower
than in T2 (2,90 and 4,72), reducing ciliary damage, epithelial height, and Mucosal thickness. The T6 group exhibited significant differences in the coronary Arteries (14,97 µm) compared with the T2 (121,36 µm). Mean lumen diameter of the coronary artery the T4, T5, and T6 groups were increased compared with T2 (49,71 µm). Significant decreases (42,65%) were observed in hemorrhage, alveolar septal thickening, and inflammatory cell infiltration in the T6 compared to T2.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, Single-clove garlic extract treatment can potentially mitigate pneumotoxicity caused by nicotine, as evidenced by improvements in TNF-α, IL-6, and histopathological damage of the tracheal, pulmonary, and coronary arteries. These findings suggest that, suggests that SCGE could be explored as a potential natural therapeutic intervention for preventing or treating Nicotine-induced lung damage. These findings suggest that SCGE could be explored as a potential natural therapeutic intervention to prevent or treat nicotine-induced lung damage. Further studies could explore the mechanisms underlying SCGE’s antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Key words: Allium sativum var. solo garlic, Good health, IL-6, Nicotine, Pneumotoxicity, TNF-α