title: Radioprotective Effect of Thymol Against Salivary Glands Dysfunction Induced by Ionizing Radiation in Rats.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the radioprotective effect of thymol as a natural product against salivary glands dysfunction induced by ionizing radiation in rats. The rats were treated with thymol at dose of 50 mg/Kg before exposure to ionizing radiation at dose 15 Gy. Salivary gland function was evaluated with radioisotope scintigraphy and then salivary gland to background counts ratio was calculated. Ionizing radiation caused significant salivary glands dysfunction at the 3thand the 70thdays with reduction in radioactivity uptake in salivary glands. Ratios of salivary gland to background radioactivities were 2.0 ± 0.05, 1.58 ± 0.62 and 1.99 ± 0.07 at 3thdays for control, radiation, and thymol plus radiation groups, respectively. Thymol significantly protected acute and chronic salivary gland dysfunction induced by ionizing radiation in the rats.This finding may have been a promising application of thymol for the protection of salivary glands dysfunction induced by ionizing irradiation in patients exposed to radiation in head and neck cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Mohammad
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Abedi
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Babol University of Medical Science, Babol, Iran.; Cellular and Biology Research Center, Babol University of Medical Science, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Fateme
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yarmand
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Babol University of Medical Science, Babol, Iran.; Cellular and Biology Research Center, Babol University of Medical Science, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Motallebnejad
authors.affiliation: Dental Materials Research Center, Faculty of Dentistry, Babol University of Medical Science, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seyedmajidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Science, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Dariush
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moslemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Babol University of Medical Science, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bijani
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Jalal
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hosseinimehr
keywords: Radioprotective; Radiotherapy; Salivary gland dysfunction; Scintigraphy; Thymol