Evaluation of radiomodulatory potential of Alstonia scholaris: a preliminary study

Ionizing radiation consists of energetic particles and electromagnetic radiations, which can penetrate living tissues or cells and result in the transfer of radiation energy to the biological material. Radiation interacts with biological molecules producing toxic free radicals leading to DNA and membrane damage. A large number of chemical and biological agents have been screened in experimental and clinical trials to mitigate radiation injury caused by whole-body exposure. Severe side effects such as nausea, hypotension and neurotoxicity in clinics are the most serious drawbacks of such compounds, which prevent their effective use in clinics. There is a growing focus on the use of medicinal herbs worldwide. Recently several isolated plant products and crude extracts, which may have a natural combination of several bio-active molecules capable of giving radioprotection through different mechanisms, have been investigated. The natural herbs are harmless for us as they do not have mammalian toxicity and can be handled safely. Alstonia scholaris (Family: Apocynaceae) found in the Asia-Pacific region including India, Sri Lanka and in most islands and provinces, in primary and secondary forests, at low and medium altitudes. Since the ancient days Alstonia has been widely used as a remedy for fever, chronic diarrhea, dysentery. This plant also has been reported to possess immunostimulatory effect and also to enhance the phagocytic activity in normal as well as immunosuppressed mice. Alstonia scholaris has not yet been assessed for its possible radioprotective potential. No study has been performed so far to find whether such plant has capability to ameliorate hazard caused by radiation. Therefore, the present work has been carried out for the screening of possible radioprotective potential of this medicinal plant