Background and Aims: Apigenin (APG) has displayed antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and tissue regeneration characteristics. The current research assessed the radioprotective influence of APG (50 mg/kg) on the brain tissues of rats following irradiation (IR).
Methods: This experimental study utilized 20 adult male Wistar rats with a weight range of 180–200 g. The animals were categorized in four identical groups, consisting of control, IR alone, APG alone, and APG + IR. These animals were subjected to a single 15 Gy dose using a linear accelerator unit at a dose rate of 200 cGy/min. The levels of various oxidative stress indicators, including malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were scrutinized in various groups. To measure the extent of oxidative stress ensuing from the IR, the quantities of the five markers (MDA, NO, GPx, CAT, and SOD) were measured using spectrophotometric techniques and commercially available kits.
Results: Ionizing radiation significantly increased the levels of MDA and NO while significantly decreasing the activities of GPx, CAT, and SOD in rat brain tissues. In contrast, pretreatment with APG resulted in a non-significant reduction in MDA and NO levels, a significant increase in GPx activity, and non-significant increases in both CAT and SOD activities in the brains of IR-exposed animals.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that APG has the ability to boost the antioxidant protection of rat brain tissue and could alleviate the detrimental consequences of being exposed to radiation in the brain tissues. However, the use of APG as a new radioprotector agent in patients with brain tumors needs further research.