Effectiveness of Melatonin, as a Radiation Damage-Mitigating Drug in Modulating Liver Biochemical disorders in γ-Irradiated Rats

Document Type : Original Article

Abstract

 MELATONIN has an antiperoxidative effect on several tissues as well as a scavenger effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS). Whilst radiation-hazards due to free radical generation, present enormous challenges for biological and medical safety. Therefore, rats were classified into four groups; control (n= 8), (received 0.5 ml of alchoholic saline as a vehicle for 5 days). Melatonin-treated rats received 10 mg/ kg body wt, for 5 days (given to the animals in the morning via stomach tube). γ-irradiated rats received 0.5 ml of the melatonin vehicle followed by one shot dose of 3 Gy γ-rays. Each of these groups was compared with a further group, which-received melatonin for 5 days after 3 Gy γ-irradiation exposure. The results revealed that all considered biochemical parameters were not changed significantly in melatonin-treated group as compared with control one. In the liver tissue of the γ-irradiated animals (3 Gy), the oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PC) were significantly increased, while a marked decrease occurred in the contents of deoxy- & ribo-nucleic acids (DNA & RNA) and glutathione (GSH) as well as activity of glutathione-S-transferase (GST). In addition, catalase (CAT) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities were increased. Activities of aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) were significantly increased in sera of the irradiated rats. Treatment with melatonin for 5 days after γ-rays exposure significantly modulated the radiation-induced elevations in MDA and PC levels in the liver tissue and significantly restored hepatic GSH content, GST, CAT and MPO activities. Post-irradiation treatment with melatonin showed significant higher hepatic DNA and RNA contents than irradiated rats. The activities of AST, ALP, and GGT in serum were significantly ameliorated when melatonin was administrated after irradiation.
Conclusion: Melatonin has effective mitigating effects against γ- radiation induced oxidative stress and liver injury.

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