title: Protective effects of the fermented milk Kefir on X-ray irradiation-induced intestinal damage in B6C3F1 mice.
abstract: Gastrointestinal damage associated with radiation therapy is currently an inevitable outcome. The protective effect of Kefir was assessed for its usefulness against radiation-induced gastrointestinal damage. A Kefir supernatant was diluted by 2- or 10-fold and administered for 1 week prior to 8 Gray (Gy) X-ray irradiation at a dose rate of 2 Gy/min, with an additional 15 d of administration post-irradiation. The survival rate of control mice with normal drinking water dropped to 70% on days 4 through 9 post-irradiation. On the other hand, 100% of mice in the 10- and 2-fold-diluted Kefir groups survived up to day 9 post-irradiation (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). Examinations for crypt regeneration against 8, 10 and 12 Gy irradiation at a dose rate of 4 Gy/min revealed that the crypt number was significantly increased in the mice administered both diluted Kefir solutions (p<0.01 for each). Histological and immunohistochemical examinations revealed that the diluted Kefir solutions protected the crypts from radiation, and promoted crypt regeneration. In addition, lyophilized Kefir powder was found to significantly recover the testis weights (p<0.05), but had no effects on the body and spleen weights, after 8 Gy irradiation. These findings suggest that Kefir could be a promising candidate as a radiation-protective agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812–8581, Japan. kteruya@grt.kyushu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kiichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Teruya
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Myojin-Maekawa
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shimamoto
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Noboru
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakamichi
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tokumaru
authors.forename: Sennosuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tokumaru
authors.forename: Sanetaka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shirahata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D043302:Cultured Milk Products; D004326:Drinking / Q000528:radiation effects; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009929:Organ Size / Q000528:radiation effects; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D014965:X-Rays
chemical_list: D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents