Abstract: To explore the effect and mechanism of garlic oil in preventing the decrease of white blood cell (WBC) induced by radiation in mice. Methods: BALB/c male mice were distributed to 6 groups according to WBC amount: normal, radiative model, positive Li2CO3, garlic oil low, middle and high dose groups. The changes of the peripheral WBC level, the spleen's coefficient, the amount of spleen nodes and the content of DNA in marrow were measured. Results: Compared with the radiative model group, the amount of peripheral WBC of garlic oil low, middle and high dose groups was increased by 51%, 59% and 350%, respectively; The content of DNA in marrow of garlic oil middle and high dose groups was enhanced by 56% and 82%, respectively; The spleen′s coefficient of garlic oil in middle and high dose groups was advanced by 20% and 39%; The amount of spleen nodes of garlic oil in low, middle and high dose groups were increased by 41%, 65% and 71% (P＜0.05). Compared with Li2CO3 positive group, the amount of peripheral WBC of garlic oil in high dose group was increased by 117%; The spleen′s coefficient of garlic oil in high dose group was advanced by 17% (P＜0.05). Conclusion: Garlic oil can prevent the WBC decrease induced by radiation at some extent possibly by stimulating the marrow hyperplasia, the spleen and the spleen nodes hyperplasia.

Key words: Garlic oil, Radiation, White blood cell, Spleen nodes, Marrow, Mice, Inbred BALB