Antioxidant activities of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides and their role on DNA damage in mice induced by cobalt-60 gamma-irradiation.

In this study, the radio-protective effects of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLP) were investigated in a mouse animal model exposed to (60)Co gamma-irradiation. Each of three batches of mice were divided into five groups (negative control, positive gamma irradiated control, and low, middle and high dosage GLP groups). Different batches of animals were used to evaluate the impact of GLP on peripheral white blood cell count, immune organ index; DNA damage, lipid peroxidation; micronuclei formation, and nucleated cell count in bone marrow induced by (60)Co gamma-irradiation. DNA strand-break and micronuclei frequency were significantly reduced and glutathione peroxidase activity and nucleated cell count in bone marrow were significantly increased by GLP treatment in a dose-dependent manner. GLP intervention also increased the activity of superoxide dismutase and decreased the level of malondialdehyde in middle and high GLP treatment groups. No adverse effects were observed on peripheral white blood cells and immune organ or body weight in either the control groups or GLP treated gamma exposed mice. These findings suggest that GLP possesses marked antioxidant capacity which plays an important role in the prevention of radiation damage in mice induced by (60)Co gamma-irradiation.