Radioprotective Effect of Arbutin in Megavoltage Therapeutic X-irradiated Mice using Liver Enzymes Assessment

Background: Medical use of ionizing radiation has direct/indirect undesirable effects on normal tissues. In this study, the radioprotective effect of arbutin in megavoltage therapeutic x-irradiated mice was investigated using serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and asparate amniotransferase (AST) activity measurements. Material and Methods: In this analytical and experimental lab study, sixty mice (۱۲ identical groups) were irradiated with ۶ MV x-ray beam (۲ and ۴ Gy in one fraction). Arbutin concentrations were chosen ۵۰, ۱۰۰, and ۲۰۰ mg/kg and injected intraperitoneal ۲ hours before irradiation. Samples of peripheral blood cells were collected and serum was separated on the ۱, ۳, and ۷ days post-x-radiation; in addition, the level of ALP, ALT, and AST were measured. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, and Tukey HSD test. Results: X-radiation (۲ and ۴ Gy) increased the ALT and AST activity levels on the ۱, ۳, and ۷ days post- irradiation, but the ALP level significantly increased on the ۱ and ۷ days and decreased on the third day compared to the control group (P< ۰.۰۰۱). ALP, ALT and AST activity levels in “۲ and ۴ Gy x irradiation + distilled water” groups were significantly higher than “۲ and ۴ Gy irradiation + ۵۰, ۱۰۰, and ۲۰۰ mg/kg arbutin” groups on the first and seventh day post-irradiation (P< ۰.۰۰۱). Conclusion: Arbutin is a strong radioprotector for reducing the radiation effect on the whole-body tissues by measuring ALP, ALT and AST enzyme activity levels. Furthermore, the concentration of ۵۰ mg/kg arbutin showed higher radioprotective effect.

Keywords:

Arbutin , Liver , Enzymes , Radiation protection