Radiation effects and radioprotection by Thai medicinal plants in mouse macrophage cell line

Objective:To investigate the effects of radiation on growth-arrested(GA) and micronucleus-production(MP) rates,and the radioprotective properties of Thai medicinal plants in mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7 in vitro.Methods:Mouse macrophage cell line(RAW264.7) was cultured in vitro.Various radiation exposures, growth-arrested rate assay,micronucleus production assay,and radioprotection by Thai medicinal plants were performed.Results:The results showed that GA and MP rates forγ-rays and UV were dose-dependent. The 50%-affected dose ofγand UV radiation for the GA rate was 10 Gy and 159 microwatt/cm for 0.5 seconds, respectively.After X-ray exposure,there was no apparent effect on RAW264.7 cells,even with a fortyfold human diagnostic dose.Two exposures toγradiation at 20 Gy resulted in a significantly higher MP rate than 20 Gy single exposure or control(P【0.05).The Thai medicinal plants(Kamin-chun capsules,Curcuma longa Linn;Hed lingeu,Ganoderma lucidum;Ya Pakking capsule,Murdannia loriformis) could not prevent cell damage,but epigallocatechin gallate and L-cysteine could provide protection from 2 Gyγ-ray exposure. Conclusion:γradiation caused chromosomal damage during cell division and UV caused cell death, while X-ray radiation was safe.The radioprotective effects of Thai medicinal plants,Kamin-chun,Hed lingeu, and Ya Pakking,could not prevent cell damage in this study.