Garlic increases IL-10 and inhibits TNFalpha and IL-6 production in endotoxin-stimulated human placental explants

Preeclampsia is a multisystem disorder manifest by hypertension after 20 weeks' gestation associated with end organ damage, usually proteinuria. The placenta is thought to be pivotal in the pathogenesis of the disease. Both the placenta and the maternal systemic response are characterised by heightened inflammation. Garlic has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic properties amongst others. It was hypothesised that treating placental explants with garlic may inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor (TNFalpha)) and stimulate the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-10 (IL-10)) by the placental explants. Garlic, we hypothesised, would also stimulate apoptosis in the explants as measured by soluble TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand/Apo-2L (sTRAIL) production. Normal placental explants (n=5) and explants from women who had preeclampsia (n=4) were cultured in the presence of various garlic concentrations (10-1000 microg/mL). The lowest garlic concentration (10 microg/mL) increased the normal explant production of IL-10 by 29.2% (12.2, 57.5%; p