This study investigated the effects of various concentrations and incubation time intervals of diallyl disulfide (DADS), the active principle of garlic, on: 1, cell viability, 2. lipid peroxidation. and 3. glutathione (GSH) concentration and its related enzyme activities of rat hepatocytes. According to the results of LDH leakage and microscopic examination, 0.5 and I mM DADS did not significantly affect the viability of hepatocytes. However, significant decrease in cell viability according to increased LDH leakage and significant changes in morphology of hepatocytes were observed at 2 mM DADS (P<0.05). Lipid peroxidation was also detected when the hepatocytes were treated with 2 mM DADS. At 0.5 mM DADS, a higher GSH content was found in the hepatocytes although not at a statistically significant level. 0.5 and 1 mM DADS has little effect on the activities of glutathione-Stransferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx); however a significant decrease in GST, GPx and glutathione reductase (GRd) activities was observed at 2 mM DADS. Once the media of 2 mM DADS was replaced with fresh medium at 24 hr treatment, the activities of GST, GRd and GPx were recovered, although they were still lower than the control values.
