Radioprotection by caffeine pre- and post-treatment in the bone marrow chromosomes of mice given whole-body gamma-irradiation.
The effect of caffeine given as pre- and post-treatment in mice exposed to whole-body gamma-irradiation (1.5 Gy 60Co gamma-rays) was studied. The pre-treatment was either acute or chronic. The acute dose (5 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg body weight) was in the form of an injection given intraperitoneally, 30 min before irradiation. The chronic administration was in the form of caffeine solution (4.208 x 10(-3) M and 7.72 x 10(-4) M) contained in the drinking water that mice had had ad libitum access to instead of plain drinking water for 5 weeks prior to radiation exposure. The acute pre-treatment with caffeine reduced the radiation-induced frequency of chromosomal aberrations discernibly, whereas the chronic pre-treatment afforded a much more significant degree of radioprotection. The caffeine post-treatment (5 mg/kg and 15 mg  body weight) was given in the form of an intraperitoneal injection to the mice immediately following whole-body gamma-irradiation. It is noted that both post-treatment concentrations of caffeine also significantly reduced the frequency of chromosomal aberrations induced by gamma-rays. These data are briefly discussed in terms of possible mechanistic considerations.
Farooqi
Z
Z
School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
Kesavan
P C
PC
D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D005720:Gamma Rays; D008297:Male; D008677:Metaphase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D051379:Mice; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012016:Reference Values; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D002110:Caffeine