PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF CURCUMIN, ELLAGIC ACID AND BIXIN ON RADIATION-INDUCED LIPID-PEROXIDATION

Serum and tissue lipid peroxides in rats were found to increase after gamma irradiation; such an increase was found to be time and dose depe ndent. Serum lipid peroxide level in the control animals was 2.86 nmol /ml, which augmented to 4.2 nmole/ml 144 h after irradiation. Liver li pid peroxide was increased from 0.25 nmole/mg protein to 5.6 nmole/mg protein after 96 hrs, while the kidney lipid peroxide underwent a twof old increase. Increase in serum lipid peroxide was also found to be do se dependent. After administration of radiation dose of 14 Gy the valu e raised to 12.2 nmole/ml. Lipid peroxides of liver and kidney showed moderate change. Oral administration of curcumin, ellagic acid, bixin and a-tocopherol to rats significantly reduced the increased serum and liver lipid peroxides induced by radiation (P < 0.001). Cancer patien ts undergoing therapeutic irradiation were found to have significant i ncrease of serum lipid peroxide.