Garlic and onion attenuates vascular inflammation and oxidative stress in fructose-fed rats

This study evaluates the antioxidant and the anti-inflammatory properties of garlic (g) and onion (o) in fructose-fed rats (ffr). thirty-day-old male wistar rats were assigned to control (c),f (10% fructose in drinking water),f+t (tempol 1 mm as control antioxidant),f+g,and f+o. aqueous g and o extracts were administered orally in doses of 150 and 400 mg/kg/d respectively,and along with tempol,were given during the last 8 weeks of a 14-week period. at the end of the study,ffr had developed insulin resistance,aortic nadph oxidase activity,increased sbp,plasma tbars and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (vcam-1) expression in mesenteric arteries,and a decrease in heart endothelial nitric oxide synthase (enos). garlic and onion administration to f rats reduced oxidative stress,increased enos activity,and also attenuated vcam-1 expression. these results provide new evidence showing the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect of these vegetables. © 2011 marcela alejandra vazquez-prieto et al.