• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.559-565
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• 2010

Cancer is already a well-recognized main cause of mortality and the incidence of cancer is increasing steadily. Because conventional treatment modalities for cancer accompanies severe side effects, traditional medicine has been considered as alternatives to reduce the adverse effects and its use has continued to rise in cancer therapy. This study aims to summarize and make a reference of radioprotective effects of herbs worldwide. In this process, this review surveyed all papers of radioprotective-focused studies using herbal medicine in PubMed database and finally 44 papers were included. The type of materials, formation of experiments, type of herbal medicine, their action and mechanisms, and type of cancer were analyzed. The number of studies on radioprotective effects of herbal medicine has increased since 2000. The main formation of experiments was clinical study and the portion was 45% and the proportion of the research using prescriptions was 51% and the research using herbal products was 25%. Herbs and prescriptions having the effects of tonifying and nourishment were used the most. Most of herbal medicine in this study can enhance immune function, increase anti-oxidant effect, regulate cell cycle and increase sensitivity to radiotherapy. This study will provide the useful information on development of herbal medicine having radioprotective effects.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Exposure of the normal lung tissue around the cancerous tumor during radiotherapy causes serious side effects such as pneumonitis and pulmonary fibrosis. Radioprotectors used during cancer radiotherapy could protect the patient from side effects induced by radiation injury of the normal tissue. Delphinidin has strong antioxidant properties, and it works as the driving force of a radioprotective effect by scavenging radiation-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, no studies have been conducted on the radioprotective effect of delphinidin against high linear energy transfer radiation. Therefore, this study was undertaken to evaluate the radioprotective effects of delphinidin on human lung cells against a proton beam. MATERIALS/METHODS: Normal human lung cells (HEL 299 cells) were used for in vitro experiments. The 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay assessed the cytotoxicity of delphinidin and cell viability. The expression of radiation induced cellular ROS was measured by the 2'-7'-dicholordihydrofluorescein diacetate assay. Superoxide dismutase activity assay and catalase activity assay were used for evaluating the activity of corresponding enzymes. In addition, radioprotective effects on DNA damage-induced cellular apoptosis were evaluated by Western blot assay. RESULTS: Experimental analysis, including cell survival assay, MTT assay, and Western blot assay, revealed the radioprotective effects of delphinidin. These include restoring the activities of antioxidant enzymes of damaged cells, increase in the levels of pro-survival protein, and decrease of pro-apoptosis proteins. The results from different experiments were compatible with each to provide a substantial conclusion. CONCLUSION: Low concentration ($2.5{\mu}M/mL$) of delphinidin administration prior to radiation exposure was radioprotective against a low dose of proton beam exposure. Hence, delphinidin is a promising shielding agent against radiation, protecting the normal tissues around a cancerous tumor, which are unintentionally exposed to low doses of radiation during proton therapy.

• ALGAE
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.403-414
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• 2016

The use of ionizing radiation and radioactive elements is becoming increasingly popular with the rapid developments in nuclear technology, radiotherapy, and radio diagnostic methods. However, ionizing radiation can directly or indirectly cause life-threatening complications such as cancer, radiation burns, and impaired immunity. Environmental contamination with radioactive elements and the depletion of ozone layer also contribute to the increased levels of radiation exposure. Radioprotective natural products have particularly received attention for their potential usefulness in counteracting radiation-induced damage because of their reduced toxicity compared with most drugs currently in use. Moreover, radioprotective substances are used as ingredients in cosmetic formulations in order to provide protection against ultraviolet radiation. Over the past few decades, the exploration of marine algae has revealed the presence of radioprotective phytochemicals, such as phlorotannins, polysaccharides, carotenoids and other compounds. With their promising radioprotective effects, marine algae could be a future source for discovering potential radioprotective substances for development as useful in therapeutics.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.35-39
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• 2002

The significance of cell ploidy and repair ability for the radioprotective efficiency of cysteamine was studied in DNA repair - proficient and repair - deficient yeast cells irradiated $^{60}C0\;\gamma-rays.$ Results have been obtained for the cell survival of two groups of yeasts-diplont and haplont cells, both in haploid and diploid states. For diploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells, the correlation between the radio-protective action of cysteamine and the cell repair capacity was demonstrated. Such a correlation was not clearly expressed for haploid yeast cells. In addition, evidence was obtained indicating that the degree of the radioprotective action was independent of the number of chromosome sets in haplont yeast Pichia guilliermondii cells and in some radiosensitive mutants defective in the diploid-specific recovery. It is concluded on this basis that the radioprotective action may involve the cellular recovery process, which may be mediated by a recombination-like mechanism, for which the diploid state is required. The results obtained clearly show that the radioprotective effect was dependent on DNA repair status and indicate that the mechanism of the radioprotective action may be realized on the level of primary radiation damage production as well as on the level of postradiation recovery from potentially lethal radiation damage.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.287-299
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• 2011

Pharmacological effects of Panax ginseng have been demonstrated in cardiovascular system, endocrine secretion and immune system, together with antitumor, anti-stress and anti-oxidant activities. Modern scientific data show protective effect of ginseng against bone marrow cell death, increased survival rate of experimental animals, recovery of hematopoietic injury, immunopotentiation, reduction of damaged intestinal epithelial cells, inhibition of mutagenesis and effective protection against testicular damages, caused by radiation exposure. And also, ginseng acts in indirect fashion to protect radical processes by inhibition of initiation of free radical processes and thus reduces the radiation damages. The research has made much progress, but still insufficient to fully uncover the action mechanism of ginseng components on the molecule level. This review provides the usefulness of natural product, showing no toxic effects, as an radioprotective agent. Furthermore, the further clinical trials on radioprotection of ginseng need to be highly done to clarify its scientific application. The effective components of ginseng has been known as ginsenosides. Considering that each of these ginsenosides has pharmacological effect, it seems likely that non-saponin components might have radioprotective effects superior to those of ginsenosides, suggesting its active ingredients to be non-saponin series. These results also show that the combined effects of saponin and non-saponin components play an important role in the radioprotective effects of ginseng.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.19
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• pp.8171-8175
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• 2014

Background: To study the radioprotective effects of flavonoids from Rosa roxburghii Tratt (FRT). Materials and Methods: The radioprotective effects of FRT were investigated by examining cell viability, 30-day survival of mice and the number of colony-forming units in spleen (CFU-S) after total-body 60Co irradiation. Results: The survival rates of irradiated cells gradually increased with increasing concentrations of FRT. The survival rate was the highest at 87% with a concentration of $30{\mu}g/mL$. Pretreatment with FRT was needed to realize its radioprotective activity in mice at the dose of 60 mg/kg. With the increasing doses of 30 mg/kg, 60 mg/kg and 120 mg/kg, the numbers of CFU-S increased, and were significantly different compared with the control group. Conclusions: Pretreatment with FRT prior to irradiation resulted in significantly higher cell survival at 24 h after 5 Gy radiation, increased 30-day survival in mice after exposure to a potentially lethal dose of 8 Gy, and resulted in a higher number of CFU-S in mice after exposure to a dose of 6 Gy. These results collectively indicate that FRT is an effective radioprotective agent.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.32-35
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• 1980

A number of chemical compounds that modify radiation effects are reviewed, with brief report of our own experiments on radioprotective effect of some vasoconstrictive agents and 5-Thio-D-Glucose. Sulfhydryl compounds(-SH group) and some pharmacologic compounds such as CNS depresants, vasoconstrictive agents and autonomic drugs are known to have radioprotective effect in experimental research and in limitted clinical study, whereas oxygen, hallogenated pyrimidines and metronidazole, etc. have radiosensitizing effect. Author experimentally observed some radioprotective effects of angiotensin II, a strong vasoconstrictor, and 5-Thio-D-glucose in mice.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.527-533
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• 2018

This study compared the radioprotective effects of high-molecular-weight poly-gamma-glutamate (${\gamma}-PGA$, average molecular mass 3,000 kDa) and a reduced form of glutathione (GSH, a known radioprotector) on calf thymus DNA damage. The radiation-induced DNA damage was measured on the basis of the decreased fluorescence intensity after binding the DNA with ethidium bromide. All the experiments used $^{60}Co$ gamma radiation at 1,252 Gy, representing 50% DNA damage. When increasing the concentration of ${\gamma}-PGA$ from 0.33 to $1.65{\mu}M$, the DNA protection from radiation-induced damage also increased, with a maximum of 87% protection. Meanwhile, the maximal DNA protection when increasing the concentration of GSH was only 70%. Therefore, ${\gamma}-PGA$ exhibited significant radioprotective effects against gamma irradiation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.93-98
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• 2000

We performed this study to determine the radioprotective effects of Shi-Quan-Dai-Bu-Tang, as a prescription of traditional Oriental medicine, and its major ingredients. The jejunal crypt survival, endogenous spleen colony formation, and apoptosis in jejunal crypt cells were investigated in mice irradiated with high and low dose of ${\gamma}$-rays. The administration of danggui, baishaoyao, rensan, gancao or baifuling before irradiation protected the jejunal crypts (p<0.005). Shoudehuang, danggui, baishaoyao, rensan and huangqui increased the formation of endogenous spleen colony (p<0.05). Chuanxiong, baishaoyao, rensan and baifuling reduced the frequency of radiation-induced apotosis (p<0.05). The results indicated that the extracts of danggui, baishaoyao, rensan and baifuling may have radoprotective effects in mice irradiated with high and low dose of ${\gamma}$-rays. The radioprotective effect of the prescription, Shi-Qaun-Da-Bu-Tang, was not significant.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2015

Radiation causes various pathophysiological alterations in living animals, and it causes death at high doses by multiple mechanisms, including direct DNA damage and indirect oxidative stress. The search for useful radioprotectors has been an important issue in the field of radiation biology. Ideal radioprotectors should have low toxicity and an extended window of protection. As many synthetic compounds have toxic side effects, the natural products have attracted scientific attention as radioprotectors. Natural products that have been recently shown to be effective with various biological activities were found to have radioprotective effect. The aim of this review is to summary the recent research of the radioprotective effects of natural foods, especially focused on the glycobiological properties of mushrooms.