Preclinical evaluation of carnosine and Costus as hematological protective agents against gamma radiation

Background: Carnosine is an antioxidant dipeptide and Costus speciosus is an Indian herb with powerful antioxidant activity. Purpose: Study the possibility of using Costus and carnosine to treat hemolysis concerns induced oxidative stress by irradiation. Materials and methods: A total of 28 adult male albino rats were divided into four groups. First sham control group, and in the other three groups, their whole bodies were exposed to gamma irradiation with a single 7.5 Gy dose. The third and fourth groups were injection with the extract of Costus speciosus and carnosine, respectively. At the end of the experiment (on the 3rd day after irradiation) hematological parameters and related biochemical parameters such as erythrocytic LDH, G6PD, direct and indirect bilirubin were estimated. Results: Costus significantly protects all hematological parameters such as hemoglobin, RBCs, reticulocytes, hematocrit and WBCs against hemolysis-induced radiation due to its powerful antioxidant effects. Also Costus retained LDH, G6PD, and bilirubin levels to normal levels even with the exposure to irradiation. Carnosine improved all the previous hematological and biochemical parameters from γ- irradiation but carnosine showed less potency than Costus. Conclusions: Carnosine and Costus as antioxidants can protect against γ-radiation exposure and Costus speciosus was more potent than carnosine concerning hemolysis-induced gamma radiation