Abstract

K. T. Augusti *, C. Ashakumari , George Daniel , S. Jaya , Sinu K. Mathew , Sreerekha and P. K. Joseph

The feeding of coconut oil (CNO) at a level of 20% in terms of energy to normal rats for a month increased significantly blood sugar and lipids and protein content and lipid peroxidation in tissues (viz. Heart, liver and kidney) and enhanced the activities of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases and alkaline phosphatase in serum. Oral administration of garlic oil (100 mg/kg body wt) or cake (5% by weight in the diet) to CNO fed groups as above ameliorated the deranged parameters significantly. The results suggest that garlic oil and cake contain certain active principles that counteract the deleterious effects of CNO. Garlic oil is a better therapeutic agent than its oil free cake. This may be due to the high quantity of biologically active organosulphur compounds present in the former than that in the latter. However the cake can be used by those who do not like the odor of the oil.