Protective effects of curcumin against gamma-radiation on Rats

Introduction: Radiation therapy is a stage of therapeutic in the management of tumors that causes normal cells damage. So, Radioprotective drugs are injected before radiotherapy to reduce cell damages and death against ionizing radiation. Curcumin is an antioxidant compound. The aim of this study is to investigate the possible protective effect of curcumin against Gamma-Radiation in male rats. Methods: 70 adult male wistar rats randomly divided into 10 groups including: control, sham, Experimental 1 (treatment with maximum of curcumin in amount of 100 mg/ml), Experimental 2 (treatment with medium of curcumin in amount of 50 mg/ml), Experimental 3 (treatment with minimum of curcumin in amount of 25 mg/ml), Experimental 4 (treatment with curcumin in amount of maximum+radiation), Experimental 5 (treatment with curcumin in amount of medium+radiation), Experimental 6 (treatment with curcumin in amount of minimum+radiation), Experimental 7 (solvent+radiation), Experimental 8 (exposure to irradiation). All animals recived intraperitoneal injection. The testes were fixed and section stained with Haematoxyline & Eosin for 15 days. Using a microscope equipped with a scaled ocular micrometer and image analysis software, histomorphometry was performed. Results: Gamma-radiation with dose of 2 Gy caused severe degeneration changes in testicular tissue including significant decrease of epithelium thickness and the number of spermtogonia, spermatid and spermatozoa and significantly increased the proportion of lumen diameter to seminiferous tubule diameter and primary spermatocyte compare with control group (P<0.05). So, treatment with curcumin balances adverse effects of Gamma-radiation on testis structure and leads spermatogenesis to normal state. Conclusion: These results suggest that curcumin have antioxidant properties and protects testis structure against Gamma-radiation.

Protective effects of curcumin against gamma-radiation on Rats Keywords:

Curcumin , Gamma , Radiation , Testis , Rats , Curcumin , Gamma , Radiation , Testis , Rats