title: Vitamin E and L-carnitine, separately or in combination, in the prevention of radiation-induced brain and retinal damages.
abstract: Our aim was to determine the effects of vitamin E and L-carnitine supplementation, individually or in combination, on radiation-induced brain and retinal damages in a rat model. Group 1 received no treatment (control arm). Group 2 received a total dose of 15 Gy external radiotherapy (RT) to whole brain by Cobalt-60 teletherapy machine. Groups 3, 4, and 5 received irradiation plus 40 kg(-1) day(-1) Vitamin E or 200 mg kg(-1)day(-1) L-carnitine alone or in combination. Brain and retinal damages were histopathologically evaluated by two independent pathologists. Antioxidant enzyme levels were also measured. Radiation significantly increased brain and retinal damages. A significant increase in malondialdehyde levels as well as a decrease in superoxide dismutase and catalase enzymes in brain was found in group 2. Separate administration of Vitamin E+RT and L-carnitine+RT significantly reduced the severity of brain and retinal damages and decreased the malondialdehyde levels and increased the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase enzymes in the brain. The findings of current study support the antioxidant and radioprotective roles of vitamin E and L-carnitine. However, the combined use of Vitamin E and L-carnitine plus irradiation interestingly did not exhibit an additive radioprotective effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, 61080 Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sezen
authors.forename: Mustafa Vecdi
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Ertekin
authors.forename: Berna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Demircan
authors.forename: Ihsan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Karslioğlu
authors.forename: Fazli
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Erdoğan
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Koçer
authors.forename: Ilknur
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Calik
authors.forename: Akçahan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gepdiremen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002331:Carnitine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012160:Retina / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014810:Vitamin E; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D002331:Carnitine