Therapeutic potential of natural plant products and their metabolites in preventing radiation enteropathy resulting from abdominal or pelvic irradiation

Abstract

Radiation-induced gastrointestinal injury or radiation enteropathy is an imminent risk during radiation therapy of abdominal or pelvic tumors. Despite remarkable technological advancements in image-guided radiation delivery techniques, the risk of intestinal injury after radiotherapy for abdominal or pelvic cancers has not been completely eliminated. The irradiated intestine undergoes varying degrees of adverse structural and functional changes, which can result in transient or long-term complications. The risk of development of enteropathy depends on dose, fractionation, and quality of radiation. Moreover, the patients’ medical condition, age, inter-individual sensitivity to radiation and size of the treatment area are also risk factors of radiation enteropathy. Therefore, strategies are needed to prevent radiotherapy-induced undesirable alteration in the gastrointestinal tract. Many natural plant products, by virtue of their plethora of biological activities, alleviate the adverse effects of radiation-induced injury. The current review discusses potential roles and possible mechanisms of natural plant products in suppressing radiation enteropathy. Natural plant products have the potential to suppress intestinal radiation toxicity.

Keywords:

• Radiation-induced tissue toxicity
• radiation protection
• total body irradiation (TBI)
• gastrointestinal tract
• intestinal radiation toxicity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Seed Fund from College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NNX15AR71H) [RP] and also by National Institutes of Health (P20 GM109005) [MH-J].

Notes on contributors

Rupak Pathak

Dr. Rupak Pathak’s research group investigates the mechanisms of radiation-induced normal tissue toxicity and how the damage can be attenuated or suppressed following radiotherapy or accidental overexposure to ionizing radiation using in vitro and in vivo models. His research interest also includes the effects of space factors, such as, space radiation and microgravity, on tissue toxicity and also to develop a medical countermeasure.

Sumit K. Shah

Dr. Sumit K. Shah is a medical doctor and currently serving as a Research Assistant at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with extensive knowledge in cancer biology and virology field.

Martin Hauer-Jensen

Dr. Martin Hauer-Jensen is a leader in the field of radiation-induced intestinal toxicity with more than 300 publications.