Title: Medicinal fungus Ganoderma lucidum protects cellular DNA in mice exposed to whole-body gamma radiation

Authors: Femy Martin; Cherupally Krishnan Krishnan Nair

Addresses: Amala Cancer Research Centre, Thrissur 680555, Kerala, India. ' Amala Cancer Research Centre, Thrissur 680555, Kerala, India

Abstract: Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal fungus with a variety of biological activities and is used for the treatment of various diseases, including cancers. The present work is focused on the radioprotective property of G. lucidum in Swiss albino mice. Whole-body exposure of the mice to gamma radiation results in damage to cellular DNA in various tissues, such as brain, bone marrow, blood and intestine, and prior administration of a hydro-alcoholic extract of G. lucidum prevented radiation-induced DNA damage. Administration of the extract prior to whole-body exposure to a lethal dose of gamma radiation gave survival advantage to mice. Also, there was considerable protection from radiation-induced loss of body weight in animals administered with the extract. The results are suggestive of the radioprotective activity of G. lucidum Extract (GLE) in mammalian organism.

Keywords: radioprotection; Ganoderma lucidum; DNA damage; gamma radiation; radiation exposure; medicinal fungus; mice; mammalian organisms; radiation protection.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2011.046168

International Journal of Low Radiation, 2011 Vol.8 No.3, pp.241 - 253

Published online: 07 Feb 2015 *

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