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Planta Med 1999; 65(6): 545-548
DOI: 10.1055/s-1999-14023
Original Paper

Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Protective Effect of Aged Garlic Extract on the Small Intestinal Damage of Rats Induced by Methotrexate Administration

Toshiharu Horie1 , Haruno Matsumoto1 , Madoka Kasagi1 , Akiko Sugiyama1 , Masako Kikuchi1 , Chika Karasawa1 , Shoji Awazu2 , Yoichi Itakura3 , Toru Fuwa3
  • 1 Laboratory of Biopharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
  • 2 Department of Biopharmaceutics, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Science, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
  • 3 Central Research Laboratories, Wakunaga Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Hiroshima, Japan
Further Information

Publication History

October 13, 1998

April 7, 1999

Publication Date:
31 December 1999 (online)

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Abstract

The methotrexate (MTX) administration to rats causes the damage of small intestine. The small intestinal damage was evaluated by measuring the intestinal permeability of the poorly absorbable compound, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled dextran (average molecular weight, 4,400) (FD-4) using the in vitro everted intestine technique and by determining the FD-4 that appeared in plasma using the in situ closed loop intestine technique. The MTX administration to rats fed with the standard laboratory diet increased the small intestinal permeability of FD-4 due to the damage of the small intestine. Interestingly, the permeability of FD-4, when MTX was administered to rats fed with the aged garlic extract containing diet, was depressed almost to the level of control rats without the MTX treatment. The present study showed that the aged garlic extract protected the small intestine from the damage induced by the action of MTX on the crypt cells.

Key words:

Allium sativum - Alliaceae - garlic - methotrexate - intestinal damage - small intestine - protection

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