title: The Effect of Ascorbic Acid and Garlic Administration on Lead-Induced Neural Damage in Rat Offspring's Hippocampus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate ascorbic acid and garlic protective effects on lead-induced neurotoxicity during rat hippocampus development.
  
  
  METHODS
  90 pregnant wistar rats were divided randomly into nine groups: 1- Animals received leaded water (L). 2- Rats received leaded water and ascorbic acid (L+AA). 3- Animals received leaded water and garlic juice (L+G). 4-Animals received leaded water, ascorbic acid and garlic juice (L+G+AA). 5- Rats treated with ascorbic acid (AA). 6- Rats treated with garlic juice (G). 7- Rats treated with ascorbic acid and garlic juice (AA+G). 8- Rats treated with tap water plus 0.4 ml/l normal hydrogen chloride (HCl) and 0.5 mg/l Glucose (Sham). 9- Normal group (N). Leaded water (1500 ppm), garlic juice (1 ml/100g/day, gavage) and ascorbic acid (500 mg/kg/day, IP) were used. Finally, blood lead levels (BLL) were measured in both rats and their offspring. The rat offspring brain sections were stained using Toluidine Blue and photographed. Dark neurons (DNs) were counted to compare all groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BLL significantly increased in L group compared to control and sham groups and decreased in L+G and L+AA groups in comparison to the L group (P<0.05). the number of DNs in the CA1, CA3, and DG of rat offspring hippocampus significantly increased in L group in comparison to control and sham groups (P<0.05) and decreased in L+G and L+AA groups compared to L group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Garlic juice and ascorbic acid administration during pregnancy and lactation may protect lead-induced neural damage in rat offspring hippocampus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Akram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ebrahimzadeh Bideskan
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alipour
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fazel
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haghir
keywords: Ascorbic acid; Garlic; Hippocampus; Lead