Panax ginseng as a protective agent against gamma radiation induced genotoxicity in adult male ablino rats

This study was designed to investigate the possible protective effects of the antioxidant, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic Panax ginseng on the toxic effect of whole body gamma radiation in albino rats. A total of 105 adult male albino rats was divided into seven groups of 15 rats each. Groups I, II and III served as controls, group IV was exposed to whole body gamma radiation [7 grays], group V was given ginseng 100 mg/kg for a week, then exposed to gamma rays, group VI was exposed to gamma rays, followed by an administration of ginseng for a week and group VII was given ginseng for a week, then exposed to gamma rays, followed by ginseng administration for another week. Animals were sacrificed on the 1st, 3rd and 7th day post-irradiation where a chromosomal study of both bone marrow and spermatocytes was done. One testis and a part of the ileum were obtained from each sacrificed animal at the 7th day post-irradiation for a histological study