Submit Manuscript | http://medcraveonline.com Introduction Lead has been described as one of the most toxic metals in our environment. 1 It also forms part of a group of metals described as carcinogenic in humans Its carcinogenic potential is considered to be dependent on the metal’s oxidation state, solubility and complex formation. 2 Due to increasing anthropogenic activities and vehicular emissions, it has been indicated that the amount of lead available in the environment for potential consumption via food chains and drinking water supplies is on the rise. 2 Lead poisoning is also a global health problem but it is unrecognized as such in a number of African countries. Lead poisoning as indicated by elevated blood lead levels (BLL) have been observed in the general population in some parts of Nigeria. 3 In adults, occupational exposure to lead is the most common cause of lead poisoning with a wide range of physiological, biochemical, behavioural and organ dysfunctions mostly the kidney, liver, spleen and testes. 3 In 2013, lead was believed to have resulted in 853,000 deaths, which occurred mostly in the developing countries with the poor been at greater risk. 4 Descriptions of lead poisoning is dated to at least 2000 BC. 5,6 Health benefits of Allium sativum (garlic) in lipid regulation, anticarcinogenic, antimicrobial and antioxidant potentials has been extensively reported in previous studies 7,8 while Zingiber officinale MOJ Anat & Physiol. 2018;5(5):306‒313. 306 © 2018 Oboma et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially. Protective effect of combined aqueous extracts of Allium sativum and Zingiber officinale against lead acetate induced hepatotoxicity and testicular damage in Rattus norvegicus Volume 5 Issue 5 - 2018 Yibala I Oboma, 1 Beredugo Sylvanus, 1 Prudence N Okara,1 Favour A Tamuno- omie, 1 Okama Eko Ibiang 2 1 Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Niger Delta University, Nigeria 2 Department of Community Health, College of Health Technology, Calabar, Nigeria Correspondence: Yibala I Oboma, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, Email: yoboma78@gmail.com Received: August 01, 2018 | Published: October 02, 2018 Abstract Background: Allium sativum and Zingiber officinale are medicinal plants used for the management of ailments/diseases and as culinary spices. Their pharmacological potentials ranges from hepatoprotection, immunomodulation, antimutagenic, antioxidant antibacterial, anticarcinogenic, antifungal, hypoglycemic, hyperglycemic and anti-atherosclerotic. However, their synergistic potentials are not fully reported. Aim: This study was aimed at evaluating the protective potentials of combined aqueous extracts of Allium sativum and Zingiber officinale against lead acetate induced hepatic and testicular damage. Materials and methods: Albino rats (n=50) were used for this study. The rats were divided into two major groups; acute studies (n=20) and chronic studies (n=30). The acute study was further subdivided into two phases, low dose and high dose of 12 and 8 rats respectively. Calculated doses of lead acetate in mg per kg body weight was given at various concentration of 500mg/kg, 700mg/kg (low dose) and 4000mg/kg, 5000mg/ kg and 6000mg/kg (high dose) to determine the LD50. Signs of toxicity and mortality were observed eight hourly and at 24 hours interval. Chronic study (n=30) were further subdivided into 5 (five) groups each containing six (6) animals. Group A received 2ml/kg distilled water and normal feed, Group B (disease control), C, D and E received 2mls of 5000mg/kg body weight of lead acetate only once after 24 hr of starvation, while Group C, D and E were treated (post 72hrs after administration) with 2ml of 1000mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract extracts of Allium sativum, Zingiber officinale and combined extracts of Zingiber officinale and Allium sativum for 4weeks respectively. Results: Writhing, sedation, swirling, diarrhoea and death were observed at 5000mg/kg and was established as the LD50. Lead acetate induces centrolobular hepatic necrosis and hypertrophy of the seminiferous tubules as revealed by heamatoxylin and eosin stained slides and also elevation of blood Lead level (BLL). Treatment with Allium sativum and Zingiber officinale (combined extracts) showed a statistically significant reduction in blood lead level (t =12.0, p=0.01), and restoration of the hepatic and testicular cytoarchitecture compared to when administered independently. Conclusion: The study revealed that the synergistic effect of Allium sativum and Zingiber officinale is capable of ameliorating lead acetate induced hepatic and testicular damage as well as reduction of blood lead level in the rats. This synergistic potential may be an excellent reservoir of pharmaceutical and chemical templates for new drugs formulation to be explored. Keywords: testicular toxicity, hepatotoxicity, Allium sativum, Zingiber officinale MOJ Anatomy & Physiology Research Article Open Access