Background/aim:Aluminum chloride is one of the most common causative factors in many neurodegenerative disorders. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of green tea and omega-3 on aluminum chloride-induced neurotoxicity in rabbits.

Materials and methods
Twenty-four male rabbits were divided into four groups: control group, aluminum chloride group, in which rabbits were administered aluminum chloride at a dose of 300 mg/kg/day orally for one month, green tea-treated group, in which rabbits were given aluminum chloride plus green tea extract at a dose of 50 mg/kg/day orally for one month, and the omega-3-treated group, in which rabbits were administered aluminum chloride plusomega-3 at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day orally for one month. Then, the brain tissues were examined for histopathological and immunohistochemical changes.

Results
Aluminum chloride-induced distortion in histological structures of the dentate gyrus with a significant increase in caspase-3 antibody reaction compared with the control group, indicating neuronal cell apoptosis. Green tea and omega-3 reduced the neurotoxin effect of aluminum chloride. However, administration of omega-3 led to more improvement in aluminum chloride neurotoxicity than green tea.

Conclusion
Omega-3 administration diminishes the neurotoxin effect of aluminum chloride on the dentate gyrus more than green tea.

Keywords: Aluminum chloride, omega 3, green tea, dentate gyrus