title: The evaluation of the radioprotective effect of chyavanaprasha (an ayurvedic rasayana drug) in mice exposed to lethal dose of gamma-radiation: a preliminary study.
abstract: The effect of various doses of 50% ethanolic extract of chyavanaprasha (an Ayurvedic rejuvenating herbal preparation) was studied on the survival of mice exposed to 10 Gy of gamma-radiation. Treatment with chyavanaprasha, consecutively for fi ve days before irradiation, delayed symptoms of radiation sickness and onset of mortality when compared with the non-drug treated irradiated controls. All doses of chyavanaprasha provided a significant protection against gastrointestinal (GI) death (death of animals within 10 days after exposure to radiation), however, highest protection against GI death was observed for 15 mg/kg chyavanaprasha. Chyavanaprasha also provided a significant protection against the bone marrow death after 10 to 40 mg/kg. However, the best protection was seen for 15 mg/kg, where the highest number of survivors was observed at the end of 30 days post-irradiation. The drug was non-toxic up to a dose of 6 g/kg b. wt., the highest drug dose that could be tested. Our study demonstrates that chyavanaprasha can provide good radioprotection at a very low non-toxic dose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiobiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, India. gc.jagetia@kmc.edu
authors.forename: Ganesh Chandra
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Jagetia
authors.forename: Manjeshwar Shrinath
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Baliga
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005720:Gamma Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents