Effect of Propolis on the Activity of Antioxidant Enzymes in Rat Liver Irradiated by X-ray

We investigated the effect of propolis on the activity of antioxidant enzymes in rat liver exposed by X-ray irradiation. The dosage of propolis showed the effect of lowering the concentration of superoxide anion in irradiated rat liver, suggesting that propolis has a significant role to remove superoxide anion as an antioxidant and/or by activating the antioxidant enzyme. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR), disturbed by X-ray irradiation, were restored in 30 days to normal status in the group which dosed propolis before X-ray irradiation. Interestingly, catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPOX) activities were highly increased with feeding propolis to rat compared to untreated group, whereas glutathione s-transferase (GST) activity was little affected. Taken together, it suggests that the propolis has a protective role in the rat liver cells against X-ray irradiation by increasing and recovering the activities of antioxidant enzymes.