Radioprotective efficacy of Prunus avium fruit in mice brain with reference to in-vitro and in-vivo studies

ABSTRACT

Radioprotective efficacy of Prunus avium fruit extract [PAE] rich in vitamin A, C, E and anthocyanin was studied against radiation induced biochemical alterations in mice brain. In-vitro assays were performed with PAE for its antioxidant studies; thereafter for in-vivo study, Swiss albino mice were divided into five groups. Group 1 [control] normal mice. Group 2 [PAE treated] PAE supplemented [450 mg/kg. b.wt/day] for 15 days. Group 3 [Irradiated] 5 Gy gamma-radiation treated. Group 4 [PAE + Irradiated] was administered PAE once daily for 15 consecutive days, thereafter exposed to 5 Gy gamma-radiation. Group 5 [Irradiated + PAE] was exposed to 5 Gy gamma-radiation than PAE was administered for 15 consecutive days. Brains were removed at various post treatment intervals for biochemical estimations. The IC50 values of PAE for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH·] scavenging assays, superoxide radical scavenging assays, inhibition of in vitro lipid peroxidation assays and protein carbonyl formation assay were 413 microg/ml, 7.63 microg/ml, 136.18 microg/ml and 16.94 microg/ml respectively. Furthermore the total phenolic content in PAE was equivalent to 8.38 mg/ml of gallic acid. The rate of ·OH radical scavenging activity of PAE was 0.57 times slower than SCN- derived from nanosecond pulse radiolysis studies. In-vivo study also showed that radiation [5 Gy] induced augmentation in the levels of lipid peroxidation and depletion in glutathione and protein level in mice brain were significantly ameliorated by PAE pre/post treatment. Results suggest that the radioprotective efficacy of PAE may be due its antioxidant property