title: Whole body protection to lethally irradiated mice by oral administration of semipurified fraction of Podophyllum hexandrum and post irradiation treatment of Picrorhiza kurroa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to evaluate the radioprotective potential of alcoholic fraction of Podophyllum hexandrum rhizomes (REC-2001) individually as well as in combination with Picrorhiza kurroa administered orally in lethally irradiated Swiss albino mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was divided into different treatment groups. Whole body survival was observed upto 30 days in all the treatment groups. Besides survival, toxicity of REC-2001 was also evaluated. All the groups were studied for spleen endogenous colony forming units (CFUs), plasma antioxidant potential and hematological variables, using standard techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Animals in radiation alone group died with in 12 days of exposure. Single dose of REC-2001 which did not bring any toxic manifestation/mortality (MTD) was found to be 155 mg/kg b.w. On administration of 250 mg/kg b.w. (single dose) 50% of the animals died (LD50), while a dose of 350 mg/kg b.w. of REC-2001 brought 100% death. Oral administration of single dose of REC-2001 (25 mg /kg b.w. -1h) prior to irradiation (10 Gy) was observed rendering up to 48% protection. Survival enhanced to the level of 55% when the animals had pre- treatment of REC-2001 (25 mg /kg b.w. -1h) followed by irradiation (10 Gy) and post treatment with a single dose of Picrorhiza kurroa rhizome extract (pkre, 8 mg/kg b.w.+1h). Radiation induced plasma antioxidant status was significantly (P < 0.02) countered by REC-2001 administration. Post treatment of pkre elevated CFU counts (P < 0.05). Total leukocytes count and hemoglobin content in REC-2001 pretreated and pkre post treated group approached normal limits within 30 days of the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  REC-2001 in combination with pkre holds promise for further studies to achieve radioprotection against lethal radiation by oral administration.
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Biology and Radioprotection Institute of nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences Brig. SK Mazumdar Marg, Timarpur, Delhi-110054, India. drmanjugupta2003@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Manju Lata
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Sanghmitra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sankhwar
authors.forename: Savita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Memita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Devi
authors.forename: Namita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Samanta
authors.forename: Paban Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Agrawala
authors.forename: Raj
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Pankaj Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D028141:Berberidaceae; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D005720:Gamma Rays; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D032261:Picrorhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D011035:Podophyllum / Q000737:chemistry*; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D027343:Rhizome / Q000737:chemistry; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; C509544:Sinopodophyllum hexandrum extract