Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) is a widespread environmental toxicant that accumulates in the food chain and induces oxidative stress, DNA damage, and apoptosis. This study investigated the cardioprotective effects of aqueous Allium sativum (garlic) extract against cadmium-induced cardiac damage in adult male Wistar rats. Thirty-two rats were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 8): Group I (control) received tap water; Group II received CdCl? (5 mg/kg/day); Group III received aqueous A. sativum extract (200 mg/kg/day); and Group IV was pre-treated with A. sativum extract (200 mg/kg) 90 minutes before CdCl₂ administration for 30 days. Blood and heart tissues were collected for biochemical and histopathological analyses. Cadmium exposure caused general weakness, reduced food and water intake, and significantly lower body weight gain compared with the control and treatment groups, although organ weights were unaffected. Lipid peroxidation was significantly elevated in the Cd-treated group, while the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, were significantly reduced (p < 0.05). Serum lactate dehydrogenase activity was also significantly increased, indicating cardiac injury. Histological examination revealed myocardial fiber necrosis, cytoplasmic vacuolization, myofibrillar disorganization, and structural irregularities in the Cd-treated rats. Pre-treatment with aqueous A. sativum extract markedly attenuated these biochemical and histological alterations, preserving cardiac architecture and improving antioxidant status. These findings demonstrate that cadmium induces oxidative cardiac damage in adult male Wistar rats and suggest that aqueous A. sativum extract exerts a protective effect by reducing oxidative stress and limiting myocardial injury, supporting its potential as a cardioprotective therapeutic agent against cadmium-induced toxicity.

Keywords: A.sativum. Cadmium, Antioxidants, Oxidative stress, Wistar rats