Ionizing irradiation induced DNA damage and it’s amelioration by Bambusa arundinacea plant extract

Abstract

Radiation therapy used in the treatment of cancer uses high-energy radiation to cause cell shrinkage in tumor cells and ultimately kills them. But, it even has its adverse effect on normal cells by disturbing its regular cellular pathways. The DNA damage caused due to ionizing radiation on normal cells leads to the need of a radioprotective agent. By far, there are only three available synthetic radio-protective drugs that have been FDA approved namely Amifostine, Palifermin and Leukine. But their effects are confined only to head, neck, oral cavity and bone marrow regions. Apart from this, they have their own side effects. Considering safety, natural radioprotectants such as plants contains phytochemical compounds such as poly-phenols, alkaloids, flavonoids, phytosterols etc. are reported to have various medicinal values. They possess anti-oxidant,anti-fatigue and anti-microbial properties. Flavonoid compounds such as orientin, isovitexin and homo-orientin reduce oxidative damage of cells by their ability to scavenge free radicals formed due to the damage caused by radiation and thereby acting as anti-oxidants. Bamboo is a known anti-oxidant, as it contains high amount of flavonoids, phenolic acid and lactones. Phytochemical screening showed that the leaves of Bambusa arundinacea (B.A.) possess high amount of flavonoids. Sterile leaf extract of Bambusa arundinacea was used in this study. In vitro genotoxicity assay i.e. Chromosomal aberration assay using Sister Chromatid differential staining to score the chromosomal aberrations in first division metaphase cells was carried out in vitro. The experiments were started with gamma radiation and following technical difficulty it was continued with radiomimetic drug Bleomycin as a surrogate for radiation.