effect of gamma irradiation with and without the radioprotective drug imidazole on some enzymes of tryptophan metabolism in the kidney of rats

The effect of whole body gamma irradiation with and without the radioprotective drug imidazole on kynurenine hydrolase and kynurenine aminotransferase of rat kidney was investigated. It seems that exposure to gamma radiation with or without the radioprotective drug leads to alterations in kynurenine niacin pathway. This may interfere with the biosynthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and consequently with energy metabolism, or affect the production of some tryptophan metabolites suspected to be bladder carcinogens or co- carcinogens