Radioprotection 2024 , 59 ( 2 ), 144 – 151 © SFRP , 2024 https :// doi . org / 10.1051 / radiopro / 2023024
Available online at : www . radioprotection . org
ARTICLE
The potential effect of temulawak ( Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb .) and garlic ( Allium sativum L .) as a radioprotective agent against 6 Gy total body irradiation in rats
T . Kisnanto 1 ,* , D . Tetriana 2 , D . Yusuf 2 , Y . Lusiyanti 2 , H . N . E Surniyantoro 1 and I . K . Hasan Basri 1
1 Research Center for Radioisotope , Radiopharmaceutical , and Biodosimetry Technology , National Research and Innovation Agency , Tangerang , Indonesia . 2 Research Center for Safety , Metrology , and Nuclear Quality Technology , National Research and Innovation Agency , Tangerang ,
Indonesia . Received : 10 January 2023 / Accepted : 26 July 2023
Abstract – The main impact of gamma radiation on a biological system is the formation of Reactive Oxygen Species ( ROS ) and free radicals . The study aimed to explore the potential effect of temulawak ( Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb .) and garlic ( Allium sativum L .) against 6 Gy total body irradiation ( TBI ) in rats by observing malondialdehyde ( MDA ), glutathione ( GSH ) and comet assay . Twenty male rats were divided into five groups : control , 6 Gy , temulawak extract + 6 Gy , garlic extract + 6 Gy , and n-acetyl cysteine ( NAC ) + 6 Gy . MDA and GSH were measured on liver and spleen tissue homogenates , while comet assay was on lymphocyte cells . Gamma irradiation at 6 Gy significantly increased the MDA level and comet assay compared to the control group , while the GSH level decreased ( p < 0.05 ). Temulawak extract significantly reduced MDA levels and comet assay compared to the 6 Gy group while increasing GSH levels in the liver . Garlic extract significantly drops comet assay while increasing GSH levels in the liver . NAC decreases MDA levels in the liver and comet assay while increasing GSH levels in the spleen . It could be concluded that temulawak extract has a better radioprotective agent than garlic extract and is almost identical to NAC as a standard antioxidant .
Keywords : temulawak / garlic / radioprotective agent / free radical / antioxidant
1 Introduction
Gamma radiation has been comprehensively explored for its application in the medical field ( Liju et al ., 2020 ). The effects of exposure to low doses of gamma radiation on medical radiation workers concern health researchers . Medical radiation workers include hospitals , clinics , and private employees that use ionizing radiation in their services . Biological damage to normal cells is a significant occupational health problem for radiation workers ( Gao et al ., 2020 ). Nucleic acids , proteins , and lipids are the main biomacromolecules affected by gamma radiation ( Mercantepe et al ., 1977 ; Jit et al ., 2022 ).
Gamma radiation on cells will produce free radicals interacting with polyunsaturated fatty acids ( PUFAs ), thus forming lipid peroxide compounds and reactive oxygen
* Corresponding author : teja001 @ brin . go . id species ( ROS ). The primary product of lipid peroxidation is the formation of malondialdehyde ( MDA ) compounds . It indicates the presence of free radicals in cells ( Abou El-Eneen et al ., 2020 ). El-Desouky et al . ( 2017 ) revealed that single doses of 5 Gy and 10 Gy gamma radiation could induce lipid peroxidation in rats . At the DNA level , free radicals can initiate DNA single-strand breaks ( SSBs ) and double-strand breaks ( DSBs ), causing mutations and disrupting genome integrity . The comet assay is one of the most sensitive and rapid methods for detecting the spontaneous level of DNA damage at the individual level ( Nair and Menon , 2013 ).
Pointedly , the body has natural endogenous antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase ( SOD ), catalase ( CAT ), glutathione ( GSH ), and glutathione peroxidase ( GPx ), which protect cells from the risk of free radicals . Excessive free radicals will reduce the availability of endogenous anti-oxidants , causing oxidative stress ( Abou El-Eneen et al ., 2020 ).
A radioprotective agent is a substance / drug used to protect healthy cells from the toxic effects of IR selectively .