title: Effects of garlic extract on spreading depression: In vitro and in vivo investigations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The potential use of garlic for prevention and treatment of different types of headaches has been suggested by several medieval literatures. Cortical spreading depression (CSD), a propagating wave of neuroglial depolarization, was established as a target for anti-migraine drugs. This study was designed to investigate the effect of garlic extract on CSD in adult rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  CSD was induced by KCl microinjection in the somatosensory cortex. The effects of five different concentrations of garlic oil (1-500 μl/l) were tested on different characteristic features of CSD in necocortical slices. In in vivo experiments, the effects of garlic oil on electrophysiological and morphological changes induced by CSD were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Garlic oil in a dose-dependent manner decreased the amplitude of CSD but not its duration and velocity in neocortical brain slices. Garlic oil at concentration of 500 μl/l reversibly reduced the amplitude of the field excitatory post-synaptic potentials and inhibited induction of long-term potentiation in the third layer of neocortical slices. In in vivo studies, systemic application of garlic oil (1 ml/l) for three consecutive days reduced the amplitude and repetition rate of CSD. Garlic oil also prevented of CSD-induced reactive astrocytosis in the neocortex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Garlic oil suppresses CSD, likely via inhibition of synaptic plasticity, and prevents its harmful effects on astrocyte. Further studies are required to identify the exact active ingredient(s) of garlic oil that inhibit CSD and may have the potential to use in treatment of CSD-related disorders.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Neurophysiology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster , Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marschollek
authors.affiliation: b Shefa Neuroscience Research Center , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Karimzadeh
authors.affiliation: b Shefa Neuroscience Research Center , Tehran , Iran.|c School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jafarian
authors.affiliation: b Shefa Neuroscience Research Center , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Milad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.affiliation: d Department of Physiology , Mashhad University of Medical Science , Mashhad , Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mohajeri
authors.affiliation: d Department of Physiology , Mashhad University of Medical Science , Mashhad , Iran.
authors.forename: Sadegh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahimi
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Neurophysiology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster , Germany.
authors.forename: Erwin-Josef
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Speckmann
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Neurophysiology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster , Germany.|b Shefa Neuroscience Research Center , Tehran , Iran.|e Epilepsy Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Department of Neurology , Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster , Germany.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gorji
mesh_terms: D000498:Allyl Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D013181:Cortical Spreading Depression / Q000187:drug effects*; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005737:Garlic / Q000737:chemistry*; D005911:Gliosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D019579:Neocortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D013440:Sulfides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000498:Allyl Compounds; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013440:Sulfides; C038491:allyl sulfide
keywords: Cephalic pain; Medicinal plants; Migraine; Spreading depolarization; Traditional medicine