The role of Echinacea extract to protect the damage effects of gammaradiation on some biochemical constituents in male albino rats

Abstract

The present study was designed to determine the possible protective effects of E. purpurea extracts (EPE) against gamma (g-) radiation exposure (6Gy) induced biochemical alterations and oxidative tissue damage (liver and testes) in male rats given EPE (100 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks) prior to g-irradiation. It has been found that g-irradiation led to hepatic and testicular oxidative stress with concomitant increase in liver function enzymes. Serum lipid profile and hormone level has also been found altered. Rats dosed with EPE before exposure to g-rays showed significantly less severe damage and remarkable improvement in all of the measured parameters when compared to irradiated rats. It could be concluded that EPE attenuates the deleterious effects of radiation-induced biochemical disorders and tissue damage (liver and testes).