Modulatory effect of Allium sativum Ethanolic Extract on Cultured Human Lymphocytes

Allium sativum (Garlic) have been known since from ancient years for its medicinal properties. It is widely used as antibacterial, antifungal, anticoagulant, anticancer, hypoglycaemicand hypocholesteromic. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of different concentration ofethanolic extract of Allium sativum extract on cultured human lymphocytes. Cytotoxicity was assessed by tryphan blue dye exclusion assay, single strand DNA damage was studied by alkaline comet assay and apoptosis was assessed by DNA diffusion assay. The percentage of live and dead cells was counted in cell viability assay. In comet assay tail length, percentage tail DNA and olive tail movement were considered as parameters for DNA damage. In DNA diffusion assay number of apoptotic cells counted comparing the normal cell nucleus and apoptotic cell nucleus. The study was performed in 3 concentrations of Allium sativum extract, 10, 50 and 100µg/ml including untreated control group. The results showed that all the comet parameters was significantly (p<0.05) increased by the effect of Allium sativum extract, which was dose dependent. Percentage of apoptotic cells also increased with higher concentration of the garlic. These results conclude, the cytotoxicity induced by the garlic extract is directly proportional to the single strand DNA break. The increase in the DNA damage positively correlates to the number of apoptotic cells present in the culture medium.