Repair processes in the duodenal mucosa of irradiated mice after treatment with ionol

The experiments were carried out with mature raceless mice of both sexes. 60Co gamma radiation was applied with a dose of 1,000 R at a dose rate of 30 R/sec. The mice of the first group received within the first minutes and 48 hours after irradiation 10-20 mg per kg body weight Ionol, whereas the mice of the second group (control) received the solvent of Ionol (dimethyl sulfoxide). Three days after irradiation clear differences in the histoultrastructural organization of the enterocytes as well as of the stroma elements could be found in treated and untreated animals. Untreated mice died on the 4th to 5th day after irradiation, whereas the majority of treated mice died on the 10th to 12th day. On the 10th day the duodenum of treated animals did not virtually differ from that of healthy mice. By electron microscopic examinations, however, essential differences could be demonstrated especially in the capillaries of the basal membrane of the tunica propria. (author)