Radioprotection by a herbal preparation of Hippophae rhamnoides, RH-3, against whole body lethal irradiation in mice.
OBJECTIVE
Hippophae rhamnoides L. has been well documented to have anti-oxidative, immunostimulative and regenerative properties and therefore a herbal preparation of H. rhamnoides coded as RH-3 was investigated for its radioprotective action.


METHODS
RH-3 was administered intraperitonially (i.p.) to mice 30 minutes before whole body irradiation and whole body survival, spleen Colony forming units (CFU) and haematological parameters were studied. To investigate free radical scavenging and antioxidant potential, Fenton reaction, radiation mediated OH radical scavenging and chemically generated superoxide anions scavenging were studied in vitro while inhibition of lipid peroxidation was studied in liver homogenate of mice.


RESULTS
A dose of 30 mg/kg body weight of RH-3 rendered 82% survival as compared to no survival in irradiated control. The endogenous CFU counts in mouse spleen on 10th post-irradiation day with and without RH-3 demonstrated radioprotective effect. Various hematological parameters also corroborated the radioprotective effect of RH-3. In a dose dependent manner, RH-3 inhibited Fenton reaction and radiation mediated generation of hydroxyl radicals in vitro, superoxide anion mediated Nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction and FeSO4 mediated lipid peroxidation in liver.


CONCLUSIONS
Free radical scavenging, acceleration of stem cell proliferation and immunostimulation are the radioprotective attributes, which require further investigations.
Goel
H C
HC
Department of Radiation Biology, Institute of Nuclear medicine and Allied Sciences, Delhi, India. radbiol@nda.vsnl.net.in
Prasad
J
J
Singh
S
S
Sagar
R K
RK
Kumar
I Prem
IP
Sinha
A K
AK
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D006454:Hemoglobins; D031281:Hippophae; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019685:Rosales; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
D000975:Antioxidants; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D006454:Hemoglobins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; C465547:herbal preparation RH-3