The anti-mutagenic activity of allium sativum L. extract was studied in bone marrow cells of albino rats using micronucleus assay. The experiment was conducted for a period of 15-days using 100mg/kg body weight of the freshly prepared garlic extract as a dietary supplement via oral gavage. The rats were divided into four groups; group A (distilled water), group B (lead acetate), group C (garlic extract + [12hr] lead acetate), and group D (garlic extract + lead acetate [1:1]). Control groups were given lead acetate and distilled water only. After the shortterm exposure, rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and chromosome preparations were made from bone marrow according to colchicines hypotonic-fixation air drying Giemsa schedule. The cytogenic end-points studied were chromosomal aberrations and damaged tissues were observed via microscope where the gross appearances of the tissues indicate atrophic changes. The chromosomal aberration induced by lead acetate was reduced significantly in animals fed with the extract in group C (2%) with (0.025 ± 0.053) mean frequency of polychromatic erythrocyte while lead acetate administered to animals in group B was highly mutagenic having total chromosomal aberration of (25%) with mean frequency of (0.013 ± 0.988). This experiment indicates that crude garlic extract administered orally before or simultaneously with lead acetate protects against tissue atrophy in rats in vivo to a statistically significant level, this could be extrapolated to man.
