title: Vitamin C as a radioprotector against iodine-131 in vivo.
abstract: The capacity of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) to mitigate radiation damage resulting from the tissue-incorporated radionuclide 131I is examined. Spermatogenesis in mice is the experimental model and spermhead survival is the biological endpoint. When a small nontoxic amount of vitamin C was injected, followed by a similar injection of 131I, the 37% spermhead survival dose (D37) increased by a factor of 2.2 compared with the D37 in animals receiving only the radionuclide. Similar radioprotection was also observed when the animals were maintained on a diet enriched with 1% vitamin C (by weight). These results suggest that vitamin C may play an important role as a radioprotector against accidental or medical radiation exposures, especially when radionuclides are incorporated in the body and deliver the dose in a chronic fashion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark.
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Narra
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Sastry
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002470:Cell Survival; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014965:X-Rays
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D001205:Ascorbic Acid