PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF TERMINALIA CHEBULA IN MODULATING OXIDATIVE DAMAGES AGAINST GAMMA IRRADIATION INDUCED LETHALITY IN RATS
The present study was aimed at investigating the inhibition of chromosomal damage as assayed by micronucleus test and radioprotective effect of Terminalia chebula extract (TCE) against gamma irradiation induced oxidative stress in rats. Male Wistar strain rats were divided into groups and pretreated with TCE (80 mg/kg of b.wt.) prior to whole body gamma irradiation exposure. The in vivo radioprotective activities of the TCE were determined by Kaplan-Meir survival studies on rats irradiated at 10.0 Gy. Inhibition of chromosomal damage through micronucleus assay in rat bone marrow, lipid peroxidation (LPO), antioxidant enzymes assays i.e. superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione -S-transferase (GST), glutathione (GSH) content in liver and erythrocytes and histopathological examination of liver were studied in rats irradiated at 2.0 Gy. TCE pretreatment resulted in 50% increase in survival of animals as compared to concurrent irradiated group. The number of micronuclei in gamma irradiated rats was significantly higher as compared to control, however, TCE pretreatment decreased the number of micronucleus showing inhibition of chromosomal damage. Rats pretreated with TCE, prior to gamma irradiation showed normal activity of SOD, CAT and GST with decrease in LPO in liver and erythrocytes. The GSH content was not significantly altered in liver, however, erythrocytes showed increased GSH content in gamma irradiated animals. The decrease of micronucleus and increased survival of gamma irradiated rats pretreated with Terminalia chebula points towards radioprotective function of TCE.