Efficacy of garlic (Allium sativum L.) extracts in chemically induced urolithiasis and renal injuries in rats

Urolithiasis, a growing global health concern attributed to calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystal formation in the urinary tract, was explored for its potential treatment using garlic ( Allium sativum L. ) extracts. This study evaluated the antilithiatic efficacy of aqueous and ethanolic garlic extracts in a rat model with chemically-induced urolithiasis, involving forty-two male Wistar rats divided into seven groups, including control, induced urolithiasis, vehicle and various treatment groups with differing doses of garlic extracts. Comparative analysis revealed superior efficacy of aqueous garlic extract, particularly at 100 mg/kg dose, which can be attributed to its higher content of bioactive organosulfur compounds (97.334%) including diallyl sulfide, diallyl disulfide (26.678%), and diallyl trisulfide (20.252%). Results demonstrated that garlic extracts, particularly at 100 mg/kg, significantly ameliorated abnormal urinary and serum parameters, reduced renal oxidative stress, and decreased the size and number of CaOx crystal deposits in the renal tubules. These findings suggest that the antilithiatic properties of garlic extracts can be attributed to their anti-crystallization, antioxidant, and nephroprotective effects, indicating that higher doses of garlic extract may serve as a promising natural therapeutic approach for the management and prevention of urolithiasis.