The Radioprotective Effect of Ascorbic Acid and Kefir against Genotoxicity Induced by Exposure in Mice Blood Lymphocytes

Abstract

The aim of this research was to determine how coadministration of ascorbic acid prior to the beginning of X-irradiation influences the lymphocyte DNA damage and also if the kefir supplementation to irradiated mice may alter the recovery procedure of lymphocyte genetic material injury. Following treatment of animals with these agents, the whole-body of mice were irradiated to 6 MV X-rays, then genotoxicity activity was investigated by comet assay. Our results show that the Total Comet Score (TCS) value was 1.39 and 1.5 fold less in the kefir and ascorbic acid groups respectively the following irradiation than in the irradiated mice only. Coadministration of ascorbic acid and kefir with 2 h, before relatively to 2 Gy radiation decreased DNA damage in lymphocyte blood cells. The antioxidant strength of ascorbic acid and kefir were investigated by the study of the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging properties and also ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Our results revealed that ascorbic acid and kefir show strong antioxidant activity by these methods. According to these results, it seems that ascorbic acid and kefir, as a free radical scavenging capacitiy, protect animal lymphocyte blood cells from radiation-induced DNA injury and genotoxicity.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This study was conducted with financial support of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (IRAN) with grant number 394667.