Amelioration of lead nitrate induced pulmonary toxicity by Garlic essential oil in inflammatory markers of Swiss albino male mice

Lead is a toxic heavy metal that causes harmful effects on human health. Its prolonged use interferes with the pulmonary tissue, resulting in alterations in the normal level of transcription factors and cytokines. So, to restore these parameters altered by lead nitrate (LN) Pb(NO3)2 , the present study aimed to test natural therapeutic agents like Allium sativum (AS) and its defensive role in mitigating lead (Pb) induced toxicity in Swiss albino male mice model. For this one-month study, 36 mice were divided into 6 Groups. The Groups were categorised as Group I (control/untreated), Group II a (lead nitrate (LN))(50mg/kg), Group II b (LN+ low dose of garlic essential oil (GEO) (50mg/kg)), Group II c (LN+ high dose of GEO) (80mg/kg), Group II d (LN with standard drug (silymarin) (25mg/kg)), Group II e (LN + vehicle olive oil). The experimental results revealed an elevated level of NF-kB(P< 0.001), TNF-α and IL-6 (P < 0.05 for both) and a decreased level of IFN-ɤ (P<0.05) and IL-10 (P < 0.01) in Lead-intoxicated pulmonary tissues of mice. Conversely, GEO exhibited promising anti-inflammatory properties by attenuating the alterations caused by LN. The present study demonstrated the significant effectiveness of a high dose of garlic bulb essential oil in reducing inflammation in the pulmonary tissues of an animal model exposed to lead nitrate. Notably, the low dose also exhibited efficacy for certain inflammatory markers. Further optimization of Garlic Essential Bulb Oil (GEBO) doses is warranted to enhance its therapeutic potential. This study expands the scope of exploring natural interventions for mitigating lead-induced toxicity.