title: Beneficial effects of garlic on learning and memory deficits and brain tissue damages induced by lead exposure during juvenile rat growth is comparable to the effect of ascorbic acid.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The neuroprotective effects of both garlic and ascorbic acid (AA) have been documented. In this study the effects of garlic and ascorbic acid on memory deficits and brain tissue oxidative damages induced by lead exposure was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The juvenile rats were divided and treated: (1) Control, (2) Lead (lead acetate in drinking water, 8 weeks), (3) Lead - Ascorbic Acid (Lead-AA), (4)  Lead - Garlic (100 mg/kg, daily, gavage) (Lead-Gar).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In Morris water maze (MWM), the escape latency and traveled path in the Lead group were significantly higher while, the time spent in the target quadrant (Q1) was lower than Control. Both Lead-Gar and Lead-AA groups spent more times in Q1than to lead group. There were no significant differences in swimming speed between the groups. In passive avoidance (PA) test, the time latency for entering the dark compartment by Lead group was lower than Control. Treatment of the animals by AA and garlic significantly increased the time latency. In Lead group, the total thiol concentration in brain tissues was significantly lower while, MDA was higher than Control. Treatment by both garlic and AA increased total thiol concentrations and decreased MDA. Both garlic and AA decreased the lead content of brain tissues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is suggested that treatment with garlic attenuates the learning and memory impairments due to lead exposure during juvenile rat growth which is comparable to AA. The possible mechanism may be due to its protective effects against brain tissues oxidative damage as well the lowering effects of brain lead content.
authors.affiliation: a Neurocognitive Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences , Iran.
authors.forename: Simagol
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghasemi
authors.affiliation: a Neurocognitive Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences , Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hosseini
authors.affiliation: b Neurogenic Inflammation Research Center and Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences , Iran.
authors.forename: Azadeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Feizpour
authors.affiliation: c Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology , School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences , Mashhad , Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alipour
authors.affiliation: c 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.affiliation: a Neurocognitive Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences , Iran.
authors.forename: Farzaneh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vafaee
authors.affiliation: d Pharmacological Research Center of Medicinal Plants, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences , Iran , and.
authors.forename: Toktam
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mohammadpour
authors.affiliation: e Department of Clinical Biochemistry , School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences , Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soukhtanloo
authors.affiliation: c Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology , School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences , Mashhad , Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ebrahimzadeh Bideskan
authors.affiliation: a Neurocognitive Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences , Iran.
authors.forename: Farimah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beheshti
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000187:drug effects; D005737:Garlic / Q000737:chemistry; D020264:Lead Poisoning, Nervous System, Childhood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011930:Reaction Time; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; C008261:lead acetate
keywords: Lead; ascorbic acid; garlic; learning; memory; oxidative stress