Does allicin combined with vitamin B-complex have superior potentials than alpha-tocopherol alone in ameliorating lead acetate-induced Purkinje cell alterations in rats? An immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study
Creators: name: Mustafa, Prof. Dr. Hesham N.
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2016
Subjects: classificationCode: 329999
subject: Other biomedical and clinical sciences not elsewhere classified
classificationCode: 310911
subject: Animal structure and function
classificationCode: 520202
subject: Behavioural neuroscience
classificationCode: 310199
subject: Biochemistry and cell biology not elsewhere classified
classificationCode: 320999
subject: Neurosciences not elsewhere classified
classificationCode: 321407
subject: Toxicology (incl. clinical toxicology)
classificationCode: 310404
subject: Evolution of developmental systems
classificationCode: 320499
subject: Immunology not elsewhere classified
classificationCode: 310899
subject: Plant biology not elsewhere classified
classificationCode: 310299
subject: Bioinformatics and computational biology not elsewhere classified
classificationCode: 320220
subject: Pathology (excl. oral pathology)
classificationCode: 320307
subject: Oral medicine and pathology
classificationCode: 310114
subject: Systems biology
classificationCode: 310112
subject: Structural biology (incl. macromolecular modelling)
classificationCode: 310201
subject: Bioinformatic methods development
classificationCode: 319999
subject: Other biological sciences not elsewhere classified
classificationCode: 310999
subject: Zoology not elsewhere classified
classificationCode: 310102
subject: Cell development, proliferation and death
classificationCode: 310104
subject: Cell neurochemistry
classificationCode: 310103
subject: Cell metabolism

description: BACKGROUND: The
 current article aims to explore the protective potentials of 
α-tocopherol alone and the combination of allicin and vitamin B-complex 
against lead-acetate neurotoxicity on the cerebellar cortex.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty
 rats were divided into four groups (n=10). Group 1 was the control 
group. Group 2 received 10 mg/kg body weight (BW) of lead acetate. Group
 3 was exposed to 10 mg/kg BW of lead acetate plus a combination of 
allicin (100 mg/kg BW) and vit. B-complex (40 mg/kg BW). Group 4 was 
administered lead acetate (10 mg/kg BW) and α-tocopherol (100 mg/kg BW).
 The animals received treatment for sixty days by oral gavage. All the 
groups were studied ultrastructurally and immunohistochemically with 
glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).RESULTS: The
 affected groups revealed shrunken and degenerated Purkinje cells with 
irregular nuclei. The cytoplasm comprised several lysosomes, unhealthy 
mitochondria, and dilated Golgi saccules. The myelinated nerve fibers 
demonstrated breaking of the myelin sheaths, apparent vacuoles, and 
broad axonal spaces. Immunohistochemically, there was a tremendous surge
 in GFAP-positive astrocytes in the lead acetate-treated group. These 
histological and ultrastructural variations were ameliorated by the 
administration of α-tocopherol and the combination of allicin and vit. B
 complex. Moreover, an apparent decrease in the number of GFAP-positive 
astrocytes was obvious in the protected groups.CONCLUSIONS: Although
 both α-tocopherol and the combination of allicin and vit. B-complex can
 be used as possible adjuvant therapies to ameliorate nervous system 
ailments attributable to lead acetate, α-tocopherol showed more 
protective potential.KEYWORDS: Allicin; Astrocytes; GFAP; Myelin Figure; Oligodendrocyte; Purkinje cells