Effects of elephant garlic volatile oil (Allium ampeloprasum) and T-2 toxin on murine skin

Abstract

Effects of elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum) volatile oil (GVO) and trichothecene (T-2) toxin were studied in Swiss albino mice. The animals were 1) topically applied GVO, 2) topically applied T-2 toxin, 3) topically applied GVO followed by T-2 toxin (GVO/T-2), and 4) T-2 toxin application followed by GVO (T-2/GVO) on the right footpad. All animals were observed by Langerhans cell enumeration and pathological changes of the footpad on days 1, 3, 5 and 7. The number of Langerhans cells in the GVO treated group (1,097±33/mm 2 to 1,624±19/mm2) was not significantly different when compared with the corresponding control left footpad (1,143±33/ mm2 to 1,674±21/ mm2). Langerhans cells density in T-2 toxin treated group (629±29/mm2 to 1,090±31/mm 2) was reduced by 20-35% of the opposite control footpad (962±40/mm2 to 1,392±29/mm2). Furthermore, GVO/ T-2 and T-2/GVO treated mice showed a decrease in Langerhans cell number than a single T-2 toxin treated group. While Langerhans cells in T-2 toxin, GVO/T-2 and T-2/GVO groups revealed a smaller cell size with shortening dendritic processes when compare to the normal control group. Histopathological findings of the footpad skin in T-2 toxin treated group revealed epidermal desquamation and necrosis with edema and inflammatory cells infiltration. While GVO/T-2 and T-2/GVO showed a similar sequence but a lesser severe degree. These findings suggested that GVO both in pre-and posttreatment could protect T-2 toxin induced epidermal damage in a mouse footpad.