Research and Development of Radioprotective Agents: A Mini-Review

Abstract

The research and development (R&D) of radioprotective agents (RAs) have been conducting since seven decades ago, and the safety and protection against undesirable effects of ionizing radiation (IR) has become an important issue especially for the benefit of patients receiving the radiotherapy, in addition to the applications in nuclear industry, military, outer space exploration and accidental exposures. Although the technology advancement makes the radiotherapy a promising better treatment by maximizing the effect of IR to the cancer cells, there are still needs for improvement in minimizing the toxicity to the normal cells. Aiming at providing the new researchers in the radiation protection field with an overall view for R&D of the RAs, this mini-review elucidates in brief a general understanding of the IR and its effects on the cell, the concepts of radiotherapy and therapeutic ratio, the categories of RAs and their mechanisms, and discusses on the strategies and challenge for R&D of the RAs.