RADIOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF SOME NATURAL COMPOUNDS

Abstract

At the present time, the usage of nuclear technologies has become an important factor in our modem life. Due to the increasing utilization of atomic energy and radiation facilities in industry, medicine, agriculture, scientific research and other purposes, more information become required for better understanding of the biological effects due to ionizing radiation. It is an established fact that after radiation exposure at certain levels, harmful changes in the metabolic activities in the living cells are known to occur. For evaluating the radiation hazards, it is recommended to study the variations in certain biochemical parameters in the serum of irradiated animals. For controlling the radiation hazards, great numbers of radioprotective substances had been used in order to ameliorate the deleterious effect of radiation exposure. In an attempt to supplement intracellular defense systems, exogenously applied sulfur compounds such as cysteine and cysteamine were evaluated many years ago as protectors against the damaging effects of radiation. Although these agents were found to afford significant radioprotection, their toxicity and apparent lack of differential protection of normal versus tumor tissue has limited their application in clinical situations. A new class of natural radioprotectors has been identified. Beta­ carotene and garlic have been shown to provide significant radioprotection both in vitro and in vivo.