Induction of micronuclei was studied 40 h post irradiation in peripher
al blood reticulocytes of male mice treated or not with stobadine dipa
lmitate (70.07 mg/kg body weight) at two time intervals (2 h or 1 h) p
rior to and immediately after 6.5 Gy Co-60 exposure. A significant dec
rease of micronucleated reticulocytes was observed in the group of mic
e pretreated 2 h (P < 0.05) or 1 h (P < 0.01) before irradiation. Co-6
0 irradiation followed by treatment with stobadine did not lead to the
same protective effect in the micronucleus assay. It is therefore ass
umed that a radical-scavenging mechanism must be involved in radioprot
ection by stobadine.