Biochemical and Molecular Mechanisms of Radioprotective Effects of Naringenin, a Phytochemical from Citrus Fruits

Abstract

The present study was aimed to evaluate the radioprotective effects of naringenin in vivo using Swiss albino mice as a model system. Oral administration of 50 mg/kg body weight of naringenin for 7 days prior to radiation exposure protected mice against radiation-induced DNA, chromosomal and membrane damage. Naringenin pretreatment also increased the antioxidant status of irradiated mice. Multiple factors operating at cellular and molecular levels led to increased endogenous spleen colonies and survival of mice. Although naringenin induces apoptosis in cancer cells we found that it can protect against radiation-induced apoptosis in normal cells by modulating the expression of p53, Bax, and Bcl-2. The results from the present study indicate that naringenin inhibits the NF-kB pathway and down regulates radiation-induced apoptotic proteins resulting in radioprotection at the cellular, tissue and organism levels.

Keywords: antioxidants; apoptosis; flavonoids; free radical scavenging; naringenin; radiation-protection.