Protection from lethal and sub-lethal whole body exposures of mice to γ-radiation by Acorus calamus L.: studies on tissue antioxidant status and cellular DNA damage.

The radioprotecting activity of Acorus calamus extract after whole body exposure of mice to lethal and sub-lethal doses of γ-irradiation in terms of radiation induced mortality and damages to cellular DNA and tissue antioxidant levels were studied. A. calamus extract (250 mg/kg body weight) was orally administered to mice 1 h prior to whole body γ-radiation exposure. The antioxidant levels in the tissue homogenates of brain, liver and kidney of the irradiated mice were determined and cellular DNA damage was monitored by comet assay. Effect of administration of the extract on survival of the animals exposed to acute lethal dose of 10 Gy whole body γ-radiations was also monitored. Administration of the extract significantly increased the activities of major enzymes of the antioxidant defense system specially SOD, catalase and GPx and levels of GSH in 2, 6 and 10 Gy irradiated mice and decreased the formation MDA. The extract also decreased DNA strand breaks. The survival rate was found to be increased up to 5%. These studies highlight the role of A. calamus extract as good source of natural radioprotecting agent and its therapeutic implications for radiation-induced injuries.