• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.40-54
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• 2004

Purpose : Captopril (angiotension converting enzyme inhibitor) is known to have a radioproptective effect in the lungs, intestines and skin, but its effect in the heart is unclear. To investigate the radioprotectlve efiect and mechanism of captopril on the heart, the histopathological changes and immunohistochemical stains were compared with radiation alone, and radiation combined with captopril, in the rats. Materials and Methods : The histopathological changes and immunohistochemical stains ($TNF{\alpha}$, $TGF{\beta}1$, PDGF and FGF2) were examined in the radiation alone and the combined captopril and radiation groups, 2 and 8 weeks after irradiation. Each group consisted of 8 to 10 rats (Sprague-Dawley). Irradiation (12.5 Gy) was given to the left hemithorax in a single fraction. Captopril (50 mg/Kg/d) mixed with water, was given orally and continuously from the first week prior to, up to the 8th week of the experiment. Results : In the radiation alone group, the ventricle at 2 weeks after irradiation showed prominent edema (p=0.082) and fibrin deposit (p=0.018) compared to the control group. At 8 weeks, the edema was decreased and fibrosis increased compared to those at 2 weeks. The histopathological changes of the combined group were similar to those of the control group, due to the reduced radiation toxicity at 2 and 8 weeks. The endocardial fibrin deposit (p=0.047) in the atrium, and the interstitial fibrin deposit (p=0.019) and edema (p=0.042) of the ventricle were reduced significantly in the combined group compared to those in the radiation alone group at 2 weeks. The expressions of $TNF-{\alpha}$, $TGF-{\beta}1$, PDGF and FGF-2 in the radiation alone group were more increased than in the control group, especially in the pericardium and endocardium of the atrium at 2 weeks. At 8 weeks, the pericardial $TNF-{\alpha}$ and $TGF-{\beta}1$ in the radiation alone group continuously increased. The expressions of $TNF-{\alpha}$, $TGF-{\beta}1$ and PDGF were decreased in the combined group at 2 weeks. At 8 weeks, the expressions of $TNF-{\alpha}$ in the atrial and ventricular pericardia were markedly reduced (p=0.049, p=0.009). Conclusion : This study revealed that the early heart damage induced by radiation can be reduced by the addition of captopril in a rat model. The expressions of $TNF-{\alpha}$, $TGF-{\beta}1$ and PDGF were further decreased in the combined compared to the radiation alone group at both 2 and 8 weeks. From these results, it may be concluded that these cytokines probably play roles in the radioprotective mechanism of captopril from the radiation-induced heart toxicity, similarly to in other organs.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2011

N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) having a thiol, a precursor for glutathione (GSH), is known as one of the antioxidants. NAC used as a radioprotector against ionizing radiation (IR)-induced injury and damage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the radioprotective effects of NAC against IR-induced cell damage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the antioxidative effect of NAC on transcriptional level of yeast antioxidant enzyme genes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase. In the present study, yeast cells were pretreated with various concentrations of NAC and/or irradiated with various doses of gamma rays. The cell viability was measured by counting the cell forming unit (CFU). The quantitative real-time PCR was performed for analysis of gene expression of SOD and catalase. The viability of irradiated cells was not improved by pretreatment with NAC. Ionizing radiation with 100 Gy highly induced the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes. In the irradiated group with NAC pretreatment, the gene expression of SOD and catalase was gradually reduced with the increased concentrations of NAC. These results indicate that NAC can act as a useful antioxidant to scavenge reactive oxygen species in vivo, but does not protect cells against IR-induced cell death in S. cerevisiae.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.51-57
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• 2007

Present study aimed to investigate the radioprotective effects of propolis feeding on rat tissues damaged by X-ray irradiation. It was shown that the number of white blood cell in X-ray irradiated group supplemented with propolis increased as much to those of the control group and also the GOT activities among the blood components were decreased after propolis feeding. The mineral contents such as Mg, Fe, Ca, Mn, Cu, Mo, Ni, As in liver were increased as compared with those of the control group but maintained lower level than those of only irradiated groups, implying that the propolis feeding elevated the recovery capability of white blood cell effectively and propolis have a potential resistance to cell damage by X-ray. According to histological observations of the testis, intestine and liver tissues which are irradiated after feeding propolis, the numbers of damaged undifferentiated cells were decreased in testis and the shape of the goblet cells and inner and outer muscular layers in intestine were restored to the original state and the hepatocytes and interlobular veins were shown intact in liver, suggesting that propolis has a potential capacity to restore cell shapes or resist deformation of cell.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 1972

In an attempt to observe the Possible radioprotective actions of single or combined application of reduced glutathione (GSH) and cold exposure in mammals, the albino mouse was subjected to GSH injection, cold exposure at $-1{\pm}0.2C$ and whole-body X-irradiation with 900r either singularly or in combination, or the X-irradiation following the cold exposure and/or GSH injection. The levels of intrinsic NP-SH and NP-SS of the liver, brain and heart were measured at one hour after each application, and the results were compared with the control, i.e., non-irradiated and non-cold exposed normal animal. NP-SH was measured by the Ellman's method, and NP-SS was measured by the electrolytic reduction method described by Dohan and Woodward. The results thus obtained are summarized as follows: 1) The levels of NP-SH in the liver, brain and heart of the normal mouse was $6.35{\pm}0.61,\;2.65{\pm}0.15\;and\;3.17{\pm}0.10{\mu}\;mol/gm\;wet\;wt.$, respectively, and NP-SS was $3.09{\pm}0.11,\;2.95{\pm}0.20\;and\;0.18{\pm}0.24{\mu}\;mol/gm\;wet\;wt.$, respectively. 2) Though there were some degrees of difference among the tissues studied, a general tendency of (1) elevated NP-SH and NP-SS levels in the GSH injection group, (2) similar or slightly elevated NP-SH and NP-SS levels in the cold-exposed group, and (3) markedly decreased levels of NP-SH and NP-SS in the X-irradiated group, was observed. When GSH was injected prior to the X-irradiation, NP-SH and NP-SS in all the tissues studied showed generally higher values than in the group where the X-irradiation was given alone, and the values were close to the normal. In the group where the cold exposure was applied immediately after the X-irradiation, no significant difference was observed in the NP-SH and NP-S5 levels comparing with the X-irradiation group. On the contrary, when GSH was injected immediately prior to the X-irradiation or cold exposure, NP-SH and NP-SS levels were either similar to, or higher than, the normal value.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.553-561
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• 2020

In this study aims to investigate the radiation protection effect of avocado peel extracts on the Sprague-Dawely rats. 52 male rats were randomly classified into 4 groups. NC Group was a normal control group, PA Group was a group injected avocado peel extracts, IR Group was irradiated group, and lastly PA+IR Group was set as an irradiated group after injected of avocado peel extracts. Avocado peel extract was administered orally at 200 mg/kg once a day for 14 days before irradiation, and the radiation dose was systemically irradiated with 6 MV X-ray of 7 Gy. On the 4 and 21 days after irradiation, the experimental animals were sacrificed to evaluate the change in blood cell composition, spleen index, and histopathological evaluation of the liver and small intestine. As a result, the PA+IR Group showed a significantly greater recovery of lymphocytes(p<0.01), red blood cells(p<0.01), and platelets(p<0.05) than the IR Group. It was also confirmed that the activation of Superoxide Dismutase(SOD) was further increased. Histopathologically, observed that nuclei aggregation and cytoplasmic expansion were slightly reduced in the PA+IR Group in the liver. and the damage was significantly reduce(p<0.01) in the change of villi length due to damage to the small intestine cells. Based on the above results, avocado peel extract can be expected to act as a radiation protection agent that can reduce damage to blood cells and major organs caused by irradiation.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.9-16
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• 1973

In view of the recent knowledge on the radioprotective action of reduced glutathione (GSH), the present study was designed the elucidate the effect of some concentrations of GSH on the levels of intrinsic non-protein sulfhydryl (NP-SH) and non-protein disulfide (NP-SS) of the mouse liver incubated at 4, 25 and 37C in vitro, respectively. The liver slice of the mouse was incubated at 4, 25 and 37C in the medium composed of 100 ml of Krebs-Ringer phosphate buffer (KRP) with the addition of 10, 20 and 30 mg of GSH, respectively. Measurement of NP-SH and NP-SS was made at 5, 30 and 60 min during the course of the incubation, and the results were compared with the controls which were incubated only in KRP medium, and the normal. The results thus obtained are summarized as follows: 1. When the mouse liver slice was incubated at 4C, the values of both NP-SH and NP-SS of the control and the group where 10 mg of GSH was added to the incubation medium were similar to those of the normal group, and the increase of NP-SH and NP-SS with the increased concentrations of GSH was not prominent. 2. When the liver slice was incubated in the concentrations of GSH 20 mg/100 ml KRP and GSH 30 mg/100 ml KRP at 25 C, the rate of increase of both NP-SH and NP-SS was proportional to the increase of GSH concentration. In the group where 10 mg of GSH was added to the incubation medium, the value of NP-SH and NP-SS reached the highest value at 30 min, but a tendency of decrease was observed at 60 min. 3. The rate of increase of NP-SH and NP-SS of the liver was most marked of all the group. studied when the incubation temperatuse was elevated to 37C, and the increase was proportional to the concentration of GSH and the incubation time.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.141-146
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• 2010

Purpose: We examined the radioprotective effects of 5-androstendiol (5-AED), a natural hormone produced in the reticularis of the adrenal cortex, as a result of intestinal damage in gamma-irradiated C3H/HeN mice. Materials and Methods: Thirty mice (C3H/HeN) were divided into three groups; 1) non-irradiated control group, 2) irradiated group, and 3) 5-AED-treated group prior to irradiation. Next, 5-AED (50 mg/kg per body weight) was subcutaneously injected 24 hours before irradiation. The mice were whole-body irradiated with 10 Gy for the histological examination of jejunal crypt survival and the determination of the villus morphology including crypt depth, crypt size, number of villi, villus height, and length of basal lamina, as well as 5 Gy for the detection of apoptosis. Results: The 5-AED pre-treated group significantly increased the survival of the jejunal crypt, compared to irradiation controls (p<0.05 vs. irradiation controls at 3.5 days after 10 Gy). The evaluation of morphological changes revealed that the administration of 5-AED reduced the radiation-induced intestinal damages such as villus shortening and increased length of the basal lamina of enterocytes (p<0.05 vs irradiation controls on 3.5 day after 10 Gy, respectively). The administration of 5-AED decreased the radiation-induced apoptosis in the intestinal crypt, with no significant difference between the vehicle and 5-AED at 12 hours after 5 Gy. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the administration of 5-AED has a protective effect on intestinal damage induced by $\gamma$-irradiation. In turn, these results suggest that 5-AED could be a useful candidate for radioprotection against intestinal mucosal injury following irradiation.