title: Effects of lethal dose of γ-radiation and partial body hyperthermia on Wistar rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The radioprotectors currently available are generally poorly tolerated in human beings; thus, their use has been restricted due to their side effects and their limited clinical tolerance. In a search for fewerand/or without side effects agents, the radioprotective effects of partial body hyperthermia (PBH) were tested on Wistar rats of both sexes at different ages.
  
  
  METHODS
  PBH (43 °C, 1 h) was carried out by immersion of each animal's lower parts and legs in a thermostatically controlled water bath 20 h prior to irradiation with a lethal single exposure dose of 9 Gy of gamma irradiation. Irradiated PBH pretreated animals were monitored for 30 days post-irradiation and survival percentages were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data obtained provide evidence that PBH treatment prolonged the irradiated rats' lifespans and the mortality rates varied significantly with animal age and sex. In addition, PBH treatment significantly enhanced bone marrow recovery of irradiated rats of both genders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Partial body hyperthermia prior to radiation proved to have beneficial effects on gamma irradiated rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Atomic Energy Commission of Syria , Damascus , Syria.
authors.forename: Ghassan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alya
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ekhtiar
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saour
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005334:Fever / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D005720:Gamma Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015996:Survival Rate
keywords: Bone marrow; Wistar rats; lethal dose; radioprotection; survival