Overview of radiation-protective agent research and prospects for the future

Radiation-related casualties following exposure to a high dose of ionizing radiation cause severe acute radiation syndromes (ARS) involving bone marrow death and gastrointestinal death. ARS causes a decrease in the peripheral blood cell count and gastrointestinal dysfunction, resulting in death due to multiple organ failure. If there are many patients with severe ARS, the intake of appropriate medications is the most suitable initial treatment. Therefore, the development of effective radiation-protective agent is an important radiation countermeasure (RCM) against radiological and nuclear accidents. In this review, the overview of radiation-protective/mitigative agents development against acute radiation effects (mainly external exposure), as well as our research data, and the prospects for future research have been outlined. (author)