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[Preventive effects of garlic oil against the benzene-induced hematotoxicity in mice]
Ziqian Xu1, Hairi Wang1, Yafei Chen1
1School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
Objective:
To investigate the preventive effects of garlic oil (GO) on benzene-induced hematotoxicity in mice.
Methods:
Specific pathogen-free male Kunming mice were randomly divided into 5 groups, i.e., control group, model group, and low-, middle-, and high-dose GO groups (n = 20 in each group). Mice in GO groups were orally given GO at 20, 40, or 80 mg/kg BW, while mice in the other two groups received an equal volume of corn oil. Two hours later, mice in model group and GO groups were orally given benzene (20%, v/v, dissolved in corn oil, 10 ml/kg BW) for 21 days consecutively. On the 22nd day, blood was collected from the orbital sinus, to determine the counts of red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), and platelets (PLT) and hemoglobin level using an automatic blood cell counter. The mice were sacrificed thereafter. The spleen was excised and weighed for calculation of the spleen index (spleen weight/body weight×100%).
Results:
The counts of WBC, RBC, and PLT and Hb level in the model group were reduced by 40%, 18%, 28%, and 23.6%, respectively, as compared with those in the control group (P < 0.01). Compared with those in the model group, WBC and PLT counts in the high-dose GO group increased by 95% and 66%, respectively (P < 0.01), wherein lymphocytes and monocytes increased by 142% and 100%, respectively (P < 0.01); the RBC count and Hb level in the low-dose GO group increased by 15% and 16%, respectively (P < 0.05). GO significantly suppressed benzene-induced decreases in spleen weight and spleen index.
Conclusion:
GO is capable of suppressing benzene-induced hematotoxicity in mice. One possible mechanism may be promotion of hematopoiesis in the spleen.
Insights
Garlic oil (GO) effectively protects against benzene-induced blood damage in mice. This study shows GO administration significantly reverses reduced blood cell counts and improves spleen health, indicating a protective effect against hematotoxicity.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Hematology
- Natural Product Chemistry
Context:
- Benzene is a known hematotoxic agent, causing significant damage to blood cells and bone marrow.
- Hematotoxicity poses a serious risk to human health, necessitating the search for effective protective agents.
- Garlic oil (GO) is derived from garlic, a plant with a long history of medicinal use.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the protective effects of garlic oil (GO) against benzene-induced hematotoxicity in a mouse model.
- To quantify the impact of varying GO doses on blood parameters and spleen indices following benzene exposure.
Summary:
- Benzene exposure significantly reduced white blood cells (WBC), red blood cells (RBC), platelets (PLT), and hemoglobin (Hb) levels in mice.
- Administration of garlic oil (GO) dose-dependently reversed these reductions, with high doses showing significant increases in WBC and PLT counts.
- GO treatment also mitigated the decrease in spleen weight and spleen index caused by benzene exposure.
Impact:
- Garlic oil demonstrates significant potential as a natural therapeutic agent for mitigating benzene-induced hematotoxicity.
- The findings suggest that GO may promote hematopoiesis, particularly within the spleen, offering a novel mechanism for its protective action.
- This research provides a scientific basis for the traditional use of garlic in managing blood-related disorders and highlights GO as a promising candidate for further investigation.
