Effects of garlic extract on inflammatory cytokines in rats with type 1 and type 2 diabetes

One of the most important complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) is liver damage. Hyperglycemia-induced inflammation is a major cause of diabetic complications. Therefore, compounds with hypoglycemic properties can be useful in controlling the complications of diabetes. The purpose of the current report was to evaluate the impact of garlic extract on inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2) proteins levels in serum and liver tissue of diabetic rats. A total of thirty-six male Wistar rats were accidentally assigned to six classes: C: untreated group, D1: type 1 diabetes group (induced with streptozotocin, STZ), D1 + G: type 1 diabetes + garlic group (rats with diabetes type 1 that received garlic extract), D2: type 2 diabetes group (induced with STZ + niacinamide), D2 + G: type 2 diabetes + garlic group (rats with diabetes type 2 that received garlic extract), and G: garlic group (healthy rats that treated with garlic extract). After a period of five weeks, blood and tissue sections of animal's liver were obtained for serum and liver cytokines levels evaluation using specific ELISA kits. The serum and liver tissue TNF-α, IL-1β and TGF-β2 proteins concentrations were increased significantly in both groups with diabetes type 1 and type 2 compared with the untreated group (p