Role of phytochemicals as potential radioprotectants

Abstract

Ionizing radiations causes harm to living organisms and the rapid technological progress has increased human exposure to ionizing radiations enormously. Ionizing radiations come in contact with exposure from space radiations, nuclear war, and radiotherapy for cancer-like disease. There is a need for human beings against these effects of ionizing radiation due to lack of safe and effective radiation available so far, and the traditional medicines used from ancient times of different disease and protection against radiation. A systematic in vivo and in vitro study may use to identify a new lead compound as a radiation shielding agent. The radioprotective properties of plant and herbal extracts, as well as their radioprotective doses, are highlighted in this article. The outcomes of the in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that several botanicals such as Gingko biloba, Centella asiatica, Ocimum sanctum, Panax ginseng, Emblica officinalis, Phyllanthus amarus, Piper longum, Tinospora cordifoila, Mentha arvensis, Mentha piperita, Syzygium cumini, Zingiber officinale, Ageratum conyzoides, Aegle marmelos and Piper betle protect against radiation-induced lethality, lipid peroxidation, and DNA damage. The fractionation-guided evaluation may help to develop new radioprotectors for targeted activities.