OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of garlic oil (GO) against the peroxidation damage of rat nerve tissue and the peripheral motor neuropathy induced by 2, 5-HD.

METHODSMale Wistar rats were divided into four groups, with 10 in each group. The model group, and low and high doses of GO groups were administrated with 2, 5-HD (ip, 300 mg/kg), respectively; The control group was treated with sodium chloride, five times per week for six weeks. Pretreatment with GO gavaged (40 mg/kg or 80 mg/kg) started one week be-fore 2, 5-HD treatment, and lasted to the end of the experiment. Neurobehavioral indexes were examined at the zero, second and fourth week. At the end of the experiment, the scores of the gait, and the concentration of MDA and GSH, the level of TAOC and the ability of inhibition of.OH in cerebrum, spinal cord and sciatic nerve were examined.

RESULTSCompared with the zero week, except of the control group rats, the hind limb landing foot splay of three groups rats decreased by 44%, 50% and 49% at the fourth week, respectively without significant difference. The threshold value of balance in model, GO low and high doses groups rats decreased by 30%, 45% and 68% at the fourth week, respectively, and lower than the control group rats (P < 0.01). GO low and high doses groups rats showed the serious abnormality at the fourth week, before one week of the model group rats. The scores of gait of model, and GO low and high doses groups rats increased significantly compared with control group rats, and the GO high dose group rats were higher than model group rats (P < 0.05). Increase of the concentration of MDA, and decrease of the level of the ability of inhibition of.OH were induced by 2, 5-HD in cerebrum, spinal cord and sciatic nerve. The concentration of MDA increased, and the level of the ability of inhibition of.OH decreased (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), respectively. The results showed that the concentration of MDA decreased, and the level of the ability of inhibition of.OH induced by GO in cerebrum, spinal cord and sciatic nerve increased, the concentration of MDA of GO low doses group rats decreased, the level of the ability of inhibition of.OH increased, the concentration of MDA of GO high doses group rats decreased (P < 0.01) respectively, and the level of the ability of inhibition of.OH increased (P < 0.01) in nerve tissue.

CONCLUSIONGO has antagonist effect on the 2, 5-HD induced peroxidation damage, but can not improve the function of the peripheral motor nerve, indicating that the lipid peroxidation does not play an important role in 2, 5-HD neurotoxicity.