Protective effect of curcumin on γ-radiation-induced sister chromatid exchanges in human blood lymphocytes
by Entissar S. AlSuhaibani
International Journal of Low Radiation (IJLR), Vol. 6, No. 1, 2009

Abstract: The present work evaluates the radioprotective effect of curcumin on γ-radiation-induced genetic toxicity. The DNA damage was analysed by the frequencies of Sister Chromatid Exchanges (SCEs). Human lymphocytes were treated in vitro with 5.0 γg/ml of curcumin for 30 min at 37°C then exposed to 1, 2 and 4 Gy γ-radiation. The lymphocytes were cultured in (RPMI) 1640 tissue culture medium and autologous serum (20%). Phytohemagglutinin and 5-bromodeoxyuridine (10 pM) were added upon the initiation of culture and harvesting was done 72 h after culture initiation. The SCEs were counted and compared with the control lymphocytes, which were untreated with curcumin and exposed to the same γ-radiation doses. At 0 and 4 Gy no significant difference in the frequency of SCEs was found between the control lymphocytes and the lymphocytes pretreated with curcumin. Moreover, at 1 and 2 Gy the incidence of SCEs decreased in the pretreated lymphocytes with curcumin but not in the control lymphocytes. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that curcumin could effectively reduce the clastogenic effects of radiation with a dose of 1–2 Gy in human lymphocytes in vitro. However, further studies are needed to clarify the mechanism of action.

Online publication date: Fri, 29-May-2009

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