Possible ameliorative effect of aqueous extract of date (Phoenix dactylifera) pits in rats exposed to gamma radiation.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the radioprotective efficacy of date (Phoenix dactylifera) pits extract (DPE) against γ-irradiation-induced liver damage in the male albino rats. For this study, 30-day survival, dose reduction factor (DRF), antioxidant status and some biochemical changes in the serum and hepatic tissue were evaluated.

METHODS

To calculate 30-day survival, median lethal dose of 30 days (LD50/30) and DRF, DPE was orally administered to rats for 21 days before irradiation with different doses (5, 6, 8, 10 and 12 Gy) of γ-rays and the rats were observed for 30 days post-irradiation. To evaluate the radioprotective efficacy of DPE against γ-irradiation induced-liver tissue damage, animals were divided into four groups (eight animals in each group). (i) Control: rats not subjected to any treatment; (ii) DPE: DPE was orally administrated (1000 mg/kg body weight) for 21 days; (iii) RAD: rats' whole body exposed to 5 Gy of γ-rays; (iv) DPE + RAD: rats received DPE treatment for 21 days before γ-irradiation. Animals were sacrificed on the seventh day postexposure to radiation.

RESULTS

The results showed that pretreatment prior to irradiation with DPE resulted in a significantly higher 30-day survival rate of rats after exposure to different doses of γ-irradiation. Furthermore, DPE treatment resulted in a significant improvement in the hepatic redox state, manifested by a marked increase of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities and glutathione content associated with a significant decrease of malondialdehyde (MDA) level. In addition, DPE exhibited hepatoprotective effect evidenced by a marked increase in serum levels of insulin, testosterone, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c) and hepatic glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PHD) activity associated with a significant decrease in serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT), glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and hepatic glucose 6 phosphatase (G6Pase) activity, compared with irradiated group. Moreover, DPE showed positive modulation in the levels of hepatic metals [(iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn)].

CONCLUSIONS

DPE treatment prior to gamma irradiation produced biochemical changes that could lead to a reduction in radiation-induced oxidative stress. Hence, we suggest that DPE may be useful as a new natural radioprotective agent.