• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.68-73
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• 2001

Studies were performed to determine the effect of red ginseng and white ginseng on jejunal crypt survival, endogenous spleen colony formation, and apoptosis of jejunal crypt cells in irradiated mice. The radioprotective effect of ginseng was compared with the effect of diethyldithocarbamate(D). Jejunal crypts were protected from irradiation by pretreatment of red ginseng (50 mg/kg B.W., I.P. at 36 and 12 hours before irradiation) and white ginseng (50 mg/kg B.W., I.P. at 36 and 12 hours before irradiation). Red ginseng administration before irradiation and both pretreatment and posttreatment (50 mg/kg B.W., I.P. at 30 minutes after irradiation) of white ginseng resulted in an increase of the formation of endogenous spleen colony. the frequency of radiation-induced apoptosis in intestinal crypt cells was also reduced by both pretreatment and posttreatment of red ginseng, and pretreatment of white ginseng. The radioprotective effect of DDC (1000 mg/kg B.W., I.P. at 30 minutes before irradiation) on jejunal crypt survival and apoptosis was similar to those of ginseng treatment. Treatment with DDC showed no significant modifying effects on formation of endogenous spleen colony. These results indicated that ginseng might be a useful radioprotector. Further studies are needed to characterize effective radioprotective components and mechanism of ginseng.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.287-299
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• 2011

Pharmacological effects of Panax ginseng have been demonstrated in cardiovascular system, endocrine secretion and immune system, together with antitumor, anti-stress and anti-oxidant activities. Modern scientific data show protective effect of ginseng against bone marrow cell death, increased survival rate of experimental animals, recovery of hematopoietic injury, immunopotentiation, reduction of damaged intestinal epithelial cells, inhibition of mutagenesis and effective protection against testicular damages, caused by radiation exposure. And also, ginseng acts in indirect fashion to protect radical processes by inhibition of initiation of free radical processes and thus reduces the radiation damages. The research has made much progress, but still insufficient to fully uncover the action mechanism of ginseng components on the molecule level. This review provides the usefulness of natural product, showing no toxic effects, as an radioprotective agent. Furthermore, the further clinical trials on radioprotection of ginseng need to be highly done to clarify its scientific application. The effective components of ginseng has been known as ginsenosides. Considering that each of these ginsenosides has pharmacological effect, it seems likely that non-saponin components might have radioprotective effects superior to those of ginsenosides, suggesting its active ingredients to be non-saponin series. These results also show that the combined effects of saponin and non-saponin components play an important role in the radioprotective effects of ginseng.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 1998

We have examined in vitro and in vivo radioprotective effect of a Chinese medicinal plants prescription, Lifukang. Micronucleus assay was employed to evaluate in vitro radioprotective effect of Lifukang. In the presence of Lifukang, the frequencies of miconuclei were greatly reduced from 7.2 to 2.9, 1.6 and 1.6% at the concentrations of Lifukang from 0 to 2, 10 and $50{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. For in vivo assay, we monitored the incidences of apoptotic cells in mouse small intestine crypts and endogeneous spleen colonies. When Lifukang was administered to mice P.O. Or I.P. at doses of 1 mg/ml in drinking water for 7 days or 0.3 mg/mouse 24 hrs prior to irradiations, respectively, the average numbers of apoptotic cells were reduced to 3.1 or 2.3, respectively, as compared to 4.4 acquired from untreated control experiments. In addition, in spleen colony assay, Lifukang increased the number of hematopoietic spleen colonies. When samples were administered after irradiation, better results were obtained. The numbers of spleen colonies were increased from 14 colonies to 18.3 or 19.6 colonies when Lifukang was given through P.O. (1 mg/ml in drinking water for 11 days) or I.P. (0.3 mg/ mouse) after irradiation, respectively.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.256-260
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• 2015

Purpose: Mefenamic acid (MEF) as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug is used as a medication for relieving of pain and inflammation. Radiation-induced inflammation process is involved in DNA damage and cell death. In this study, the radioprotective effect of MEF was investigated against genotoxicity induced by ionizing radiation in human blood lymphocytes. Materials and Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from human volunteers and incubated with MEF at different concentrations (5, 10, 50, or $100{\mu}M$) for two hours. The whole blood was exposed to ionizing radiation at a dose 1.5 Gy. Lymphocytes were cultured with mitogenic stimulation to determine the micronuclei in cytokinesis blocked binucleated lymphocyte. Results: A significant decreasing in the frequency of micronuclei was observed in human lymphocytes irradiated with MEF as compared to irradiated lymphocytes without MEF. The maximum decreasing in frequency of micronuclei was observed at $100{\mu}M$ of MEF (38% decrease), providing maximal protection against ionizing radiation. Conclusion: The radioprotective effect of MEF is probably related to anti-inflammatory property of MEF on human lymphocytes.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.134-139
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• 2007

In order to find out the Radioprotective effect of algin-oligosaccharide(AOS), this study, with a mouse of which whole frame irradiated by 3 Gy radiation once, measured caspase-3 and caspase-9 amid cell signaling connected to apoptosis in order to observe cell activation. In Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 test for observing cell activation, both of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 showed highly increased O.D. value in the irradiation control group, while the whole groups treated with algin-oligosaccharide before or after irradiation indicated lower O.D. value than the irradiation control group, especially showed big difference in 7 day's treatment group of before irradiation (P<0.001). It confirmed that Caspase generation was restrained in AOS treatment group. Consequently, this study inquired into the fact that algin-oligosaccharide with superior antioxidant activity performed radiation protection by inducing restraint of Caspase generation and confirmed that natural product with less chemical toxicity was able to be applied as radioprotector.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1998

In the present study, to determine whether the antioxidative components of Korean red ginseng protect against radiation damage and the possible relationship among the radioprotective effects and antioxidant actions, the effects of total saponin (200 mg/kg, ip) and lipophilic fraction (200 mg/kg, oral) preferment of mice on the survival ratio, major antioxidant enzymes (SOD, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) activities, glutathione levels and lipid peroxidation in the liver were exiled for 2 weeks after whole ${\gamma}$-body ${\gamma}$-irradiation (6.5 Gy). The 30-day survival ratio increased from 10% to 57% and 40% for mice treated with total saponin and lipophilic fraction, respectively. On day 14 after ${\gamma}$-irradiation, the ginseng total saponin pretreatment produced a slight increase of antioxidant enzymes activities and significantly Increased reduced glutathione (GSH) contents (p<0.05) in the liver compared with non-treated group. Pretreatment with ginseng total saponin significantly deceased GSSG/total GSH ratio (p<0.05) without change of GSSG in the liver and inhibited the radiation-induced incense in the hepatic malondialdehyde levels. (p<0.05) In these results, GSH plays an important role in the liver in several detoxifications and the reduction of lipid peroxides. Thus, it appears that total saponin of red ginseng exerts its radioprotective effect by accelerating the production of endogenous antioxidants, such as glutathione from radiation induced damages and thereby oxygen free radicals.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.444-451
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• 1999

We performed this study to determine the radioprotective effect of Sam Ryung Baek Chul San (San Ling Bai Shu San), as a prescription of traditional Oriental medicine, and its major ingredients. Jejunal crypt survival, endogenous spleen colony formation, and apoptosis in jejunal crypt cells were investigated in irradiated mice with high and low dose of rays. Sam Ryung Baek Chul San administration before irradiation increased the formation of endogenous spleen colony(p<0.05) and reduced the frequency of radiation induced apoptosis(p<0.05). In the experiment on the effect of ingredients of Sam Ryung Baek Chul San, the result indicated that the extracts of Panax ginseng, Poria cocos and Coix lacryma jabi might have the major radioprotective effects. Although the mechanisms of these inhibitory effects remain to be elucidated, these results indicated that Sam Ryung Baek Chul San might be a useful radioprotector, especially since it is a relatively nontoxic natural product.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.698-704
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• 1999

In this study, we evaluated the radioprotective effects of Kuei Pi Tang and its ingredients, as a prescription of traditional Oriental medicine. The jejunal crypt survival, endogenous spleen colony formation, and apoptosis in jejunal crypt cells were investigated in mice irradiated with high and low dose of ${\gamma}$ rays. In the mice administered with Kuei Pi Tang extract before irradiation, the jejunal crypts were protected significantly(p<0.005) and the frequency of radiation induced apoptosis was reduced(p<0.05). In the experiment on the effects of the ingredients of Kuei Pi Tang, the results indicated that the extract of Dangui(Angelica sinensis), Suanzaoren(Zizyphus valgaris), Rensan (Panax ginseng), Fuling(Poria cocos) and Muxiang(Saussurea lappa) might have a major radioprotective effect. Although the mechanisms of this inhibitory effect remain to be elucidated, these results indi cated that Kuei Pi Tang might be a useful radioprotector, especially since it is a relatively nontoxic natural product.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.274-277
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• 1999

A study has been conducted to investigate the radioprotective effects of purslane extracts (P) when i.p. injected before irradiation (R). For studying the amino acid composition, three groups of ICR mice (7-week-old) were tested. The first group i.p. injected with purslane extract for 5 days were irradiated with 6 Gy of ${\gamma}$-radiation (P+R). The second group was irradiate with 6 Gy without any pretreatment (R). The third group was non-irradiated control (CT). Each group divided into two groups for the survival rate study, one injected with saline (S) and the other injected with purslane extract (P) for five days and then irradiated with 8 Gy. The amino acid composition of urine samples were analyzed with HPLC for 19 days after irradiation. A few kinds of amino acids such as lysine and methionine in urine from P+R group increased in comparison with those from CT or R group. The survival rate of P group maintained much higher than that of S group during experimental period. The results obtained may support that this plant has radioprotective substances by means of life-lengthening, not of urine amino acid components.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.278-284
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• 1999

This study deals with the biological changes in mice after ${\gamma}-irradiated$. Four weeks old BALA/c mice were irradiated with 6.5Gy of ${\gamma}-ray$ on the fifth day after oral administration of radioprotectants such as ascorbic acid, tocopherol and cysteine. Control group was irradiated with 6.5Gy without pre-administration of radioprotectors. Blood cells and sperm cells were counted and body, testis and spleen were weighed 3 days after irradiation. And also liver antioxidant activity and range of spleen immune cells were measured. Differences in most biological parameters were not clearly distinguished between experimental groups. However, the relative spleen weight, the relative testis weight and the population size of spleen immune cells such as T helper cells, B cells and macrophages measured by means of FACS showed significant difference between irradiated and radioprotectant administered group. It is concluded that the relative spleen weight, the relative testis weight and the population size of spleen immune cells are easy and useful parameters for assessing the effect of radioprotective substances and for quantifying biological damage of radiation, as well.