title: Evaluation of preventive effect of shilajit on radiation-induced apoptosis on ovaries.
abstract: Canc er is the second leading cause of death in children in developed countries and most of childhood malignancies can be treated with chemo-radiotherapy. Although radiation therapy is a successful treatment modality in cancer patients, it has various adverse effects. Especially the gonads are very sensitive and prone to radiation-related damage. Radiation impairs the ovaries by triggering apoptosis of follicular cells and chromosomal damage and oxidative stress. Shilajit, a traditional medicinal agent in India, Russia, and other parts of the world, contains various antioxidant agents and has ovogenic effects. To evaluate the ability of shilajit to prevent radiation-induced ovarian damage.
  
  
  
  Forty Wistar albino female rats were divided into four groups as: Control group, shilajit group, radiation only group, and radiation + shilajit group. Four days after radiation exposure, the rats were sacrificed and the ovaries were removed and evaluated immuno-histopathologically.
  
  
  
  There was a statistically significant difference in follicle counts (primordial, primary, preantral, antral, and atretic follicles) between the groups (p < 0.001). Almost all follicles at all stages were atretic in the radiation only group whereas normal-looking primordial follicles were detected in the radiation + shilajit group. In radiation + shilajit group, p53, Bax and caspase 3 expression was less intense than that in the radiation only group follicles.
  
  
  
  This is the first reported study evaluating the effects of shilajit on radiation-related ovarian damage prevention. Shilajit decreased the expression of p53, Bax, and caspase 3, thereby blocking the apoptotic pathways. Shilajit was found to be especially protective of primordial follicles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embriology, Bulent Ecevit University School of Medicine, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kececi
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embriology, Bulent Ecevit University School of Medicine, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Meryem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akpolat
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embriology, Bulent Ecevit University School of Medicine, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kanat
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gulle
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Bulent Ecevit University School of Medicine, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ercan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gencer
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Histology and Embriology, Bulent Ecevit University School of Medicine, Zonguldak, Turkey. drsahbazahmet@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sahbaz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008903:Minerals / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects; D010053:Ovary / Q000528:radiation effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012116:Resins, Plant / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals; D012116:Resins, Plant; C045109:mumie; D053148:Caspase 3
keywords: Apoptosis; Folliculogenesis; Ionizing radiation; Oxidative stress; Rat ovary; Shilajit