title: Garlic extract attenuates time-dependent changes in the reactivity of isolated aorta in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.
abstract: In the present study, the effect of aqueous garlic extract (Allium sativum; 100 mg/Kg/day; i.p.) on the vascular reactivity of streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats was investigated. Vascular reactivity of isolated aortic rings was assessed by measuring phenylephrine-induced contractile and acetylcholine-induced relaxation responses. The results showed that aortas prepared from 8-week, but not 4-week, STZ-diabetic rats exhibited significantly increased contractile responses, which were partially attenuated by garlic extract treatment. The maximum vasorelaxant response of pre-contracted aortic rings exposed to acetylcholine also significantly decreased in 8-week STZ-diabetic animals which was attenuated to some extent by extract treatment. It is concluded that long-term administration of garlic extract (i.p.) can attenuate various functional alterations induced by STZ-diabetes in the vascular system of an insulin-dependent model of uncontrolled diabetes, and this may suggest a potential approach to future therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Hemmat Expressway, P.O. Box 14155-6183, Tehran, Iran. tmojarad@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Tourandokht
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baluchnejadmojarad
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roghani
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005737:Garlic / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013311:Streptozocin; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D010656:Phenylephrine; D013311:Streptozocin; D000109:Acetylcholine