Treatment with garlic restores membrane thiol content and ameliorates lead induced early death of erythrocytes in mice

• Published in: Environmental toxicology Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 396 - 410
• Main Authors: Sarkar, Avik, Sengupta, Dipanwita, Mandal, Samir, Sen, Gargi, Dutta Chowdhury, Kaustav, Chandra Sadhukhan, Gobinda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States John Wiley & Sons 01.04.2015; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Allium sativum; anemia; Anemia - chemically induced; Anemia - prevention & control; Animals; antioxidants; Antioxidants - metabolism; apoptosis; complications (disease); death; dithiothreitol; Erythrocyte Membrane - chemistry; erythrocytes; Erythrocytes - drug effects; Erythrocytes - metabolism; Female; Garlic; garlic extract; in vitro studies; lead; lead (Pb2+); Lead - toxicity; longevity; membrane thiol; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Oxidative Stress; Phagocytosis - drug effects; phosphatidylserines; Phosphatidylserines - metabolism; Phospholipid Transfer Proteins - metabolism; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; reactive oxygen species (ROS); Sulfhydryl Compounds - analysis; Sulfhydryl Compounds - metabolism; sulfhydryl groups; thiols; toxicity; membrane thiol; erythrocytes; garlic extract; apoptosis; reactive oxygen species (ROS); lead (Pb2+); oxidative stress
• ISSN: 1520-4081; 1522-7278; 1522-7278
• DOI: 10.1002/tox.21901

Sequelae of chronic lead (Pb²⁺) toxicity includes anemia that is partially due to early death of erythrocytes characterized by excess accumulation of ROS and downregulation of antioxidant system causing oxidative stress and externalization of phosphatidylserine. In this study, pathophysiological based therapeutic application of garlic was evaluated against erythrocyte death. Results suggest that garlic administration prevents oxidative stress, restored the antioxidant balance in erythrocytes of Pb²⁺exposed mice. Moreover, in vitro studies revealed that activity of both scramblase and aminophospholipid translocase could be changed by modifying the critical sulfhydryl groups in presence of dithiothreitol during Pb²⁺exposure. Data also indicated that garlic treatment in Pb²⁺exposed mice exhibited sharp decline in PS exposure and increase in erythrocyte membrane thiol group followed by increase in aminophospholipid translocase activity and decline in scramblase activity. Findings indicated that garlic has the ability to restore the lifespan of erythrocytes during Pb²⁺exposure. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 396–410, 2015.