Experimental study of prevention effect of andrographolide against radiation exposure in rats / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the effects of andrographolide(AP),extracted from the traditional Chinese herb Andrographlis paniculata(AP),on injury induced by radiation exposure.Methods Sixty male rats were randomly divided into 4 equal groups and irradiated with 60Co γ-rays at the doses of 1,2,and 4 Gy,respectivelylow dose AP group(intragnstrically administered with AP at the dose of 100 ms/kg daily for 10 d before irradiation),and high dose AP group(intragastrically administered with AP at the dose of 200 ms/kg daily for 10 d before irradiation),model group(administered with the same volume of normal saline instead of AP for 10 d before irradiation),and control group(irradiated only at 3 different doses).One day after irradiation all rats were killed with their livers being fixed to make paraffin section.The morphological feature was observed under light microscope after HE staining,and the cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL technology.Results Compared to the control and model groups,the pathological changes of liver were significantly gentler in the AP treatment groups.The apoptosis rates of the liver cells of all the AP sub-groups were significantly lower than those of the control and model subgroup(t=2.19-4.80.P<0.05).Conclusions AP might have prevention effect against radiation exposure.