OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between single dosage of 60Co radiation and the degree of radiation-induced skin ulcers, and to evaluate the curative effect of Heijiang Pill (HJP) on skin ulcer induced by various dosages of radiation in rats.

METHODSSixty-six Wistar female rats were randomly divided into three groups, the blank control group (n = 6) and the two radiation groups, each 30 rats, with their right hind leg exposed respectively to 60 Gy and 40 Gy of 60 Co radiation. The time of emergence and degree of skin ulcer were recorded. Then rats in the two radiation groups were subdivided into the HJP group, the Ethacridine group and the model group, 10 in each group, they received corresponding treatment after ulceration, and the incidence, pathology, cure rate and cure time of skin ulcer were observed in the 90 days of observation.

RESULTSThe incidence of skin ulcer was higher and occurred earlier in rats radiated with 60 Gy than that with 40 Gy (P < 0.05). In the same radiation dosage, the ulcer healing rate in rats treated with HJP was higher than that treated with Ethacridine (P <0.05), and in the subgroups of 40 Gy radiation, the mean cure time in the HJP group was shorter (P < 0.05). The local epithelial proliferation and repairing could be verified by pathological observation in the HJP group.

CONCLUSIONLarger dosage of radiation leads to earlier emergence and aggravation of ulcers. HJP can effectively cure radiation skin ulcer, and the effect is especially significant on the ulcer induced by low dose radiation.

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Skin Ulcer ; drug therapy ; Tablets

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Morina Officinalis How (MOH) on the abnormal levels of serum luteotrophic hormone (LH) and LH receptor (LHR) in the testis tissue induced by cellphone radiation (CPR) in rats.

METHODSFifty adult male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups of equal number: sham CPR, untreated CPR, negative double distilled water (DDW) control, aqueous MOH extract, and alcohol MOH extract. All the animals were exposed to mobile phone radiation except those of the sham CPR group. Then, the rats of the latter two groups were treated intragastrically with MOH at 20 g per kg of the body weight per day in water and alcohol, respectively. After 2. weeks of treatment, all the rats were sacrificed for measurement of the levels of serum LH and LHR in the testis tissue.

RESULTSThe levels of serum LH and LHR were 30.15 ± 8.71 and 33.28 ± 6.61 in the aqueous MOH group and 0.96 ± 0.06 and 0.94 ± 0.08 in the alcohol MOH group, both significantly decreased as compared with the negative DDW controls (P < 0.05), but with no remarkable difference between the two MOH groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMOH can improve CPR-induced abnormality of LH and LHR in adult male rats.

Animals ; Cell Phone ; Electromagnetic Radiation ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Male ; Morinda ; chemistry ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental ; blood ; drug therapy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Receptors, LH ; blood ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Testis ; radiation effects

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Erythroid Precursor Cells ; drug effects ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; drug effects ; Mice ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Salvia miltiorrhiza

The aim of this study is to observe the therapeutic effect of recombinant murine interleukin 12 (rmIL-12) combining with granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) on mice irradiated by γ-rays. 56 BALB/c mice were totally irradiated by 6.0 Gy of (60)Co γ-ray and randomly divided into irradiation control group, rmIL-12 treatment group, G-CSF treatment group and combination therapy (rmIL-12 plus G-CSF) group. rmIL-12 20 µg/kg was administrated intraperitoneally at 1 h following irradiation, and was administrated every 3 days after irradiation for 4 times in rmIL-12 treatment group. G-CSF 100 µg/kg was administrated subcutaneously the 2 h following irradiation for 14 d in G-CSF treatment group. The dose and method of rmIL-12 and G-CSF in combination therapy group were same as in rmIL-12 group and G-CSF group. The general status of mice were observed twice a day, the changes in body weight, peripheral blood cell (WBC and Plt) counts were examined once every three days, bone marrow cells were collected to perform colony cultivation on day 14 and 28 after irradiation. The results showed that WBC count recovery time in combination therapy group was significantly earlier than that of the control group (7 d vs 11 d), WBC count recovery velocity in the combination therapy group was no significant different from that of the G-CSF treatment group. Combined therapy significantly promoted Plt count recovery, resulting in less profound nadirs (16.5% vs 8.1%, P < 0.01) and rapid recovery to normal levels (11 d vs 14 d), Plt count recovery velocity in the combination therapy group was no significant different from that of the rmIL-12 treatment group. Culture of bone marrow cells in semi-solid medium also demonstrated that combination of rmIL-12 and G-CSF could stimulate bone marrow cells to form more CFU-GM and CFU-Mix than those of the irradiation control group in vitro on day 14 and 28 after irradiation (P < 0.05). It is concluded that the combination of rmIL-12 and G-CSF can significantly accelerate the recovery of hematopoietic function in mice with acute radiation sickness.
Animals ; Gamma Rays ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; therapeutic use ; Interleukin-12 ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Radiation Injuries ; drug therapy ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the Angelica Sinensis as a protecting agent affecting the radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis in an animal model,

METHODSThe thoraces of C57BL/6 mice were exposed to either sham irradiation or single fraction of 12 Gy. Four groups were defined: that received neither irradiation nor Angelica Sinensis (N group), that received Angelica Sinensis but no irradiation (A group), that underwent irradiation without Angelica Sinensis (NX group) and that received both Angelica Sinensis and irradiation (AX group). Mice were sacrificed at 1, 24, 72 hours and 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24 weeks post-irradiation. The lungs tissue were removed and processed for definitive analysis, including hydroxyproline content, HE and Masson staining, and the TGF-beta1, (Transforming Growth Factor beta1, TGF-beta1) mRNA expressions.

RESULTSCompared with N and A group, there was some differences in the AX group, but a significant histological and pathologic changes in NX group. Non-irradiated groups (N and A group) exhibited low levels of hydroxyproline (0.775 +/- 0.024) microg/mg and (0.751 +/- 0.034) microg/mg, and there was a significantly elevated level of hydroxyproline in NX group (0.875 +/- 0.009) microg/mg (P < 0.05). AX group (0.782 +/- 0.010) microg/mg was in between the non-irradiated groups (N and A group) and the radiation-only group (NX group), and the difference between AX group and NX group was significant (P < 0.01). The results of real-time quantitative RT-PCR showed that the relative mRNA expressions of cytokine TGF-beta1 in NX group(249.655 +/- 16.320) was significantly higher than that in group A (1.254 +/- 0.061) and N (1.324 +/- 0.057) (P < 0.01), and that in AX group (108.076 +/- 9.870) decreased than that of NX group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAn animal model of mice with radiation-induced lung injure was established successfully. This study has demonstrated that Angelica sinensis in Hibits the progress of radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis, Possibly by down-regulating the expression of the proinflammatory cytokine Tgfb1. These data suggest that Angelica sinensis maybe useful in preventing and/or treating radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis in the clinic.

Angelica sinensis ; Animals ; Female ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Phytotherapy ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; drug therapy ; etiology ; pathology ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Radiation-Protective Agents ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the neurologic damage in rat hippocampus after electromagnetic field (EMF) acute or chronic irradiation and research the protective effects of Chinese medicine diet (CMD) which comprised ferulic acid, ginsenoside, astragalus polysaccharide and rhodiola sachalinensis.

METHODSEighty rats were divided into ten groups (n = 8): normal diet with shame irradiation group (NS), normal diet with chronic irradiation group (NCI), three groups of normal diet with acute irradiation after 3 h, 24 h, 72 h (NAI), Chinese medicine diet with shame irradiation group (CS), Chinese medicine diet with chronic irradiation group (CCI), three groups of Chinese medicine diet with acute irradiation after 3 h, 24 h, 72 h (CAI). The chronic EMF irradiation were performed by electromagnetic wave at 15 W/cm2 for 20 min everyday for 8 weeks continuously. The acute EMF irradiation were performed by electromagnetic wave at 65 W/cm2 for 20 min after feeding with CMD for 8 weeks. The learning and memory were evaluated by Morris water maze before/after electromagnetic wave irradiation. The apoptotic cells in hippocampus was detected by Tunel staining. The peroxidation damage of EMF and the protective effect of CMD intervention were assayed by measuring superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and reactive oxygen species (ROS).

RESULTSThe acute and chronic EMF irradiation disturbed the ability of learning and memory significantly (P < 0.05), CMD intervention markedly antagonized this effect. The apoptotic cells in hippocampus increased evidently after EMF irradiation (P < 0.05), but CMD intervention reduced the apoptotic cells. The acute and chronic EMF irradiation induced the oxidative stress by down-regulating SOD activity, GSH-Px activity, ROS inhibiting and up-regulating the content of MDA obviously (P < 0.05), and CMD intervention reduced peroxidation damage significantly (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe acute and chronic EMF irradiation could initiate neurologic damage in hippocampus. CMD intervention has protective effect on the impaired learning and memory, the neuron apoptosis, the peroxidation damage induced by EMF irradiation. CMD intervention plays a significant protective role in antagonizing neurologic damage in the later stage of acute irradiation and chronic irradiation.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Electromagnetic Fields ; adverse effects ; Female ; Hippocampus ; radiation effects ; Male ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Oxidative Stress ; Phytotherapy ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Rats ; Reactive Oxygen Species

OBJECTIVE: To explore the anti-radiation protective effect of resveratrol (RES). METHODS: (60)Co-γ irradiated injury model was established. A total of 200 Kunming mice were randomly divided into 4 groups (50 in each group): Group I, II, III, and IV. Each group was sub-divided into 5 groups: a normal control (n=10), an irradiated model control group (n=10) and 3 treatment groups of RES (50, 100, and 300 mg/kg RES treatment groups, 10 in each group). RES was orally administered daily for 30 d in the RES treatment groups and 1% sodium carboxymethylcellulose was orally administered in the normal control and irradiated model group. Thereafter, except the normal control group, the mice in other groups were exposed to different dosages of (60)Co-γ once, and the gavage was continued until the end of different experimental periods. Peripheral leucocytes, nucleated bone marrow cells were counted; superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and hemolysin in the serum were determined at different time. RESULTS: Under the different dosages of (60)Co-γ irradiation and the provisions of the experimental conditions, the leucocyte count was (1.69±0.82)× 10(9) and (1.61±0.51)× 10(9)/L in the 100 and 300 mg/kg RES treatment groups, which was significantly increased, when compared with the irradiated model control group [(0.73±0.69)× 10(9)/L] ( P<0.05, P<0.01 respectively). The number of nucleated bone marrow cells was (17.5±4.8) and (17.1±4.7)× 10(5)/mL in the 100 and 300 mg/kg RES treatment groups respectively, which significantly increased when compared with the irradiated model control group [(7.3±2.2)× 10(5)/mL ] ( P<0.01 ). The SOD activity was (110.41±17.04) U/ mL in the 100 mg/kg RES treatment group, which was significantly increased when compared with the irradiated model control group [(95.80±10.42) U/mL ] ( P<0.05 ). There was no significant difference in the serum hemolysin in all RES treatment groups (all P>0.05). CONCLUSION At 100 and 300 mg/kg, RES has good anti-radiation effect.
Animals ; Cobalt Radioisotopes ; Gamma Rays ; Mice ; Plant Extracts ; therapeutic use ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Radiation-Protective Agents ; therapeutic use ; Resveratrol ; Stilbenes ; therapeutic use ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

Objective: To investigate the relationship of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from 900 MHz cellphone frequency with testicular oxidative damage and its influence on the Prdx2 protein expression in the rat testis, and to explore the mechanism of Guilingji Capsules (GC) alleviating oxidative damage to the testis tissue. METHODS: Fifty healthy SD male rats were randomly divided into five groups of equal number, sham-EMR, 4-h EMR, 8-h EMR, 4-h EMR+GC and 8-h EMR+GC and exposed to 900 MHz EMR (370 μW/cm2) for 0, 4 or 8 hours daily for 15 successive days. The rats of the latter two groups were treated intragastrically with GC suspension and those of the first three groups with pure water after exposure to EMR each day. After 15 days of exposure and treatment, all the rats were sacrificed and their testis tissue collected for observation of the histomorphological and ultrastructural changes by HE staining and transmission electron microscopy, measurement of the levels of serum glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) with thiobarbiuric acid and determination of the Prdx2 protein expression by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the rats in the sham-EMR group, those in the 4-h and 8-h EMR groups showed different degrees of histomorphological and ultrastructural changes in the testis tissue, significantly decreased levels of GSH (［80.62 ± 10.99］ vs ［69.58 ± 4.18］ and ［66.17 ± 8.45］ mg/L, P < 0.05) and SOD (［172.29 ± 10.98］ vs ［158.92 ± 6.46］ and ［148.91 ± 8.60］ U/ml, P < 0.05) and increased level of MDA (［7.51 ± 1.73］ vs ［9.84 ± 1.03］ and ［11.22 ± 2.13］ umol/ml, P < 0.05), even more significantly in the 8-h than in the 4-h EMR group (P < 0.05). In comparison with the sham-EMR group, the expression of the Prdx2 protein was markedly downregulated in the 4-h and 8-h EMR groups (0.56 ± 0.03 vs 0.49 ± 0.03, 0.21 ± 0.01, P < 0.05), but again upregulated in the 4-h and 8-h EMR+GC groups (0.55±0.03 and 0.37±0.04) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Electromagnetic radiation from cellphones can cause ultrastructural damage to the testis tissue of male rats, while Guilingji Capsules can alleviate it, presumably by upregulating the Prdx2 protein expression in the testis tissue and reducing testicular oxidative damage.
Animals ; Capsules ; Cell Phone ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Electromagnetic Radiation ; Glutathione/blood* ; Male ; Malondialdehyde/blood* ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Oxidative Stress ; Peroxiredoxins/metabolism* ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental/drug therapy* ; Rats ; Superoxide Dismutase/blood* ; Testis/pathology* ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances/analysis*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of blood-cooling and promoting drugs (BCPD) on the dy-namic changes of collagens and the expressions of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) in lung tissue of rats with radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) to explore the effects and action mech-anism of BCPD in preventing and treating RILI.

METHODSOne hundred and sixty Wistar female rats were ran-domly divided into the radiation group, the treatment group, the blank control group and the drug control group. The rats in the first two groups received right hemithoracic fractionated radiation, and those in the treatment group were given BCPD. Rats in the other two groups were not irradiated and BCPD was given to rats in the drug control group. The rats were sacrificed in batches (8 of each group in every batch) at the 3rd, 5th, 8th, 12th and 26th week of the experimental period, and their lung was taken for observing the dynamic changes and distribution of collagen and the expressions of IL-6 and TGF-beta with HE staining, picrosirius red staining and immunohistochemical staining respectively.

RESULTSThe fibroblast proliferated obviously from the 3rd week after the first radiation in the radiation group, and the type I collagen and the proportion of type I and III collagen were significantly elevated along the time going and the radiation dose increasing, became significantly higher than those in the treatment group at all the time points (P <0.01). In the radiation group the expression of IL-6 and TGF-beta reached their peaks at the 8th and 12th week, respectively, and the levels was significantly lower in the treatment than that in the radiation group at any detecting time points (P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONBCPD applied in the early stage of radiation can suppress the inflammatory and fibrogenic cytokine expressions, inhibit the synthesis of collagens and adjust the proportion of type I and III collagen, so as to re-lieve the early-stage inflammatory reaction and the anaphase lung fibrosis in RILI rats.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Immunohistochemistry ; Interleukin-6 ; biosynthesis ; Lung Injury ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Phytotherapy ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of different concentrations of Morinda Officialis How (MOH) extracts on microwave radiation-induced injury to the spermatogenic function of male rats.

METHODSForty SD male rats were equally divided into four groups: control, microwave injury model, aqueous extract of MOH treatment, and alcohol extract of MOH treatment. Models of microwave-induced injury were made by exposing the rats to microwave radiation from a microwave signal generator (900 MHz 1.0 W) at 218 microm/cm2, 12 h/d, for 2 weeks. The model rats of the two treatment groups were intragastrically given aqueous extract and alcohol extract of MOH, respectively, both at 20 g per kg per day for 2 weeks. Then we observed the growth, capture incubation period (CIP), capture times (CT), changes in testicular and epididymal weight and morphology, sperm concentration and malformation, and levels of serum testosterone.

RESULTSCompared with the controls, the rats of the model group showed a slightly reduced body weight, markedly prolonged CIP and decreased CT (P < 0.05), significantly reduced sperm concentration (P < 0.05) and remarkably in- creased sperm malformation (P < 0.05), but no statistically significant differences in the testosterone level. The two treatment groups exhibited obviously decreased body weight, CIP and sperm malformation compared with the control group (P < 0.05) but markedly increased CT, sperm concentration and testosterone level as compared with the models (P < 0.05). The microwave radiation-induced testis injury was repaired perfectly in the two treatment groups, the epididymal ducts filled with sperm and cast-off cells.

CONCLUSIONBoth aqueous and alcohol extracts of MOH can promote spermatogenesis and repair of reproductive injury induced by microwave radiation.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Male ; Microwaves ; adverse effects ; Morinda ; Organ Size ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects ; Testis ; drug effects ; Testosterone ; blood