Radioprotective action of endoneous and exogenous natural compounds

In last years at the Radiobiology Division of our Institute several studies have been performed to determine the radioprotective capacity of some natural products from microbial, vegetal or endogenous origin. This substances have been chosen for some of their specific biological characteristics, among them: immunoestimulating (bacillus of Calmette-Guerin, Corynebacterium parvum), anti-inflammatory (Cordia verbanacea), anti-carcinogenic and anti-oxidant ones (α-tocopherol). Assays were performed using albino mice previously injected intraperitoneally with those agents and then irradiated with lethal doses of sup(60)Co gamma radiation. Survival and body weight curves after irradiation have been studied during 30 days comparing to normal controls. Depending on the specific properties of tested substances the induction of splenomegalia and the behavior of peritoneal cellularity were concomitantly analyzed. (author)