Aim:
This study investigated the protective effects of three antioxidants on radiationinduced lung injury.
Background:
Oxidative stress is one of the key outcomes of radiotherapy in normal tissues. It can
induce severe injuries in lung tissue, which may lead to pneumonitis and fibrosis. Recently, interest in natural chemicals as possible radioprotectors has increased due to their reduced toxicity,
cheaper price, and other advantages.
Objective:
The present study was undertaken to evaluate the radioprotective effect of Alpha-lipoic
Acid (LA), Resveratrol (RVT), and Apigenin (APG) against histopathological changes and oxidative damage and survival induced by ionizing radiation (IR) in the lung tissues of rats.
Methods:
First, the lung tissue of 50 mature male Wistar rats underwent an 18 Gy gamma irradiation. Next, the rats were sacrificed and transverse sections were obtained from the lung tissues and
stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) and Mason trichrome (MTC) for histopathological
evaluation. Then, the activity of Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), and
Malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured by an ELISA reader at 340, 405, and 550 nm.
Results:
Based on the results of this study, IR led to a remarkable increase in morphological
changes in the lung. However, APG, RVT, and LA could ameliorate the deleterious effects of IR
in lung tissue. IR causes an increase in GPX level, and APG+IR administration causes a decrease
in the level of GPX compared to the control group. Also, the results of this study showed that
RVT has significant effects in reducing MDA levels in the short term. In addition, compared to the
control group, IR and RVT+IR decrease the activity of SOD in the long term in the lung tissues of
rats. Also, the analysis of results showed that weight changes in IR, LA+IR, APG+IR, and control
groups were statistically significant.
Conclusion:
APG and RVT could prevent tissue damage induced by radiation effects in rat lung
tissues. Hence, APG, LA, and RVT could provide a novel preventive action with their potential
antioxidant anti-inflammatory properties, as well as their great safety characteristic.