Assessment of Ovarian Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Response to High-Salt Dietary Exposure: Protective Role of Allium Sativum Extract in Adult Female Wistar Rats

Abstract

Female reproductive health is highly sensitive to dietary influences, with excessive salt intake increasingly recognized as a disruptor of immune regulation and oxidative balance. In this study, we investigated the impact of high-salt diet (HSD) on inflammatory cytokines and uterine oxidative stress responses, and evaluated the protective role of Allium sativum extract in adult female Wistar rats. Twenty-five rats (150–200 g) were acclimatized for two weeks and randomly assigned into five groups (n=5): normal control (NC), HSD-only, and HSD supplemented with AS extract at 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg. At the end of the experimental period, animals were anaesthetized and sacrificed, and blood samples were collected for biochemical assessment. ovarian TNF-α and IL 10 levels were measured alongside oxidative stress markers (MDA, SOD, GSH, CAT). Results showed that HSD significantly elevated TNF-α (190.80 ± 2.35 vs. NC 150.64 ± 0.75) and reduced IL-10 (273.34 ± 4.25 vs. NC 381.52 ± 3.64). Treatment with AS extract attenuated TNF-α and restored IL-10 in a dose-dependent manner, with the 400 mg/kg group approaching near-normal values. Similarly, HSD increased MDA (170.92 ± 2.14 vs. NC 92.60 ± 3.50) and suppressed antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GSH, CAT). AS extract significantly reduced MDA and enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, with the highest dose (400 mg/kg) producing the most pronounced improvements. High-salt dietary exposure induces inflammation and oxidative stress in female Wistar rats. Allium sativum extract exerts protective effects by suppressing TNF-α, enhancing IL 10, reducing lipid peroxidation, and restoring antioxidant defenses. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of garlic in mitigating salt-induced reproductive dysfunction through dual modulation of inflammatory and oxidative pathways.