title: Effect of royal jelly on serum trace elements in rats undergoing head and neck irradiation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate the effects of radiation on serum trace elements and the changes in these elements as induced by royal jelly in rats undergoing head and neck irradiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley male rats at the age of eight weeks with a mean weight of 275±35 g were included in the study. Subjects were divided into four groups with eight rats in each group: group 1: controls (C), group 2: radiation-only (RT), group 3: radiation plus royal jelly 50 mg/kg (RT+RJ50) and group 4: royal jelly 50 mg/kg-only (RJ50). Radiotherapy was applied to the head and neck area by single fraction at a dose of 22 Gy. The royal jelly was given once daily for seven days. The subjects were sacrificed on the seventh day of the study. Trace elements in blood samples were measured using ICP/MS method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When the trace element levels among the groups were compared using ANOVA test, a statistically significant difference was found in Al, As, Ca, Cd, Cr, K, Mg, Pb, Se, and Sn levels (p<0.05). No significant difference was found in the levels of Ag, Ba, Co, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, Hg, Mn, Na, Ni, Rb, Sr, Ti, U, V, and Zn (p>0.05). It was observed that oxidative stress was reduced in the radiation plus royal jelly group, compared to the radiation-only group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study results suggest that head and neck irradiation increases oxidative stress, leading to some changes in the trace element levels, while royal jelly exhibits a protective effect against the oxidative stress induced by radiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey. cihany@erciyes.edu.tr
authors.forename: Yasemin Benderli
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Cihan
authors.forename: Celaleddin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cihan
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mutlu
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Unal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000097:blood* / Q000528:radiation effects; D000099219:Royal Jelly
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D007301:Insect Hormones; D014131:Trace Elements; D000099219:Royal Jelly