Biological Effects of Interaction between Radiation and Chemicals

The organisms are exposed to natural radiations from cosmic or terrestrial origins. Radiation is known to cause cell death, mainly due to its ability to produce reactive oxygen species in cells. The combined action between radiation and various chemicals is a distinguishing feature of modern life. Mercury chloride is a widespread environmental pollutant that is known to have toxic effects. Synergistic effects of radiation and HgCl2 on human cells was previously reported. NAC is a well-known sulfhydryl-containing antioxidant whose role in radioprotection has been explored in several studies. There has been an increasing interest of studying the role of NAC as a radioprotective substance. The present study was designed not only to assess the synergistic effects between radiation and HgCl2, but also to investigate protective effects of NAC on cells