Radioprotective Effect of Ferula Asafoetida Oleo-Gum Resin on Ionizing Radiation–Induced Oxidative Stress and Tissue Damage in Rats

Document Type : Original Paper

Authors

1 Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

2 Associate Professor of Medical Physics, Research Center of Medical Physics, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

3 Neurogenic Inflammation Research Centre, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

4 Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

5 Kidney Transplantation Complications Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, I.R. Iran.

6 Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran

7 Medical Physics Dept, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences

10.22038/ijmp.2023.71276.2258

Abstract

Introduction: Protective agents against harmful radiation have been studied for decades. Antioxidants can protect normal tissues by scavenging free radicals generated during irradiation. Ferula asafoetida (AS), a medicinal plant with antioxidant activity, was evaluated in this study for its protective effect against radiation-induced small intestinal injury in rats.
Material and Methods: Thirty-five Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups (n=7): control, irradiated (R), irradiated+AS (R+AS), irradiated+vitamin E (R+E), and irradiated+AS+E (R+AS+E). Treatments included AS (100 mg/kg) and/or vitamin E (20 mg/kg) daily for eight days. On day six, irradiated groups received 6 Gy X-rays (6 MV, Elekta, Stockholm, Sweden). On day eight, rats were euthanized and intestine and liver tissues collected. Histopathology, malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione (GSH) levels were analyzed.
Results: AS significantly reduced MDA and increased GSH levels in both intestine and liver. Vitamin E showed weaker effects. The combination of AS and vitamin E did not consistently enhance AS activity. Histological analysis revealed that AS reduced inflammation and atrophy, while vitamin E alone or combined with AS lowered inflammation and epithelial erosion. Neither treatment increased mucous cell counts.
Conclusion: AS exerted notable antioxidant and radioprotective effects against intestinal damage in rats, indicating its potential as a natural agent for mitigating radiation-induced injury.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

  1. Jagetia GC. Radioprotective Potential of Plants and Herbs against the Effects of Ionizing Radiation. Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition. 2007; 40(2):74-81.
  2. Liu XR, Zhu N, Hao YT, Yu XC, Li Z, Mao RX, et al. Radioprotective effect of whey hydrolysate peptides against γ-radiation-induced oxidative stress in balb/c mice. Nutrients. 2021;13(3):1-20.
  3. Zakaryaee V, Hosseinimehr SJ. Review: Supplement Antioxidant Administration during Radiotherapy in Cancer, Yes Or No? Journal of Clinical Excellence. 2013;1(1): 44-63.
  4. Abroudi M, Fard AG, Dadashizadeh G, Gholami O, Mahdian D. Antiproliferative Effects of Ferula assa-foetida’s Extract on PC12 and MCF7 Cancer Cells. International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Clinical Science. 2020;6(3):60-7.
  5. Bagheri SM, Abdian-Asl A, Moghadam MT, Yadegari M, Mirjalili A, Zare-Mohazabieh F, et al. Antitumor effect of Ferula assa foetida oleo gum resin against breast cancer induced by 4T1 cells in BALB/c mice. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine. 2017;8(3): 152-8.
  6. Kavoosi G, Rowshan V. Chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of essential oil obtained from Ferula assa-foetida oleo-gum-resin: effect of collection time. Food chemistry. 2013;138(4):2180-7.
  7. Khayyal MT, Kreuter MH, Kemmler M, Altmann P, Abdel‐Naby DH, El‐Ghazaly MA. Effect of a chamomile extract in protecting against radiation‐induced intestinal mucositis. Phytotherapy Research. 2019;33(3):728-36.
  8. Targhi RG, Homayoun M, Mansouri S, Soukhtanloo M, Soleymanifard S, Seghatoleslam M. Radio protective effect of black mulberry extract on radiation-induced damage in bone marrow cells and liver in the rat. Radiation Physics and Chemistry. 2017;130:297-302.
  9. Dehghan G, Shafiee A, Ghahremani MH, Ardestani SK, Abdollahi M. Antioxidant potential of various extracts from Ferula szovitsiana. in relation to their phenolic content. Pharmaceutical Biology. 2007; 45(9):691-9.
  10. Esmaeili DM, Khajeh BZ, Rezvani BM. Investigating the effect of oral consumption of tear assafoetida on hepatic, renal, cardiac, and blood biochemical parameters of rats. JOURNAL OF Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services. 2014;21(5):641-50.
  11. Mehrabadi S, Sadr SS. Administration of Vitamin D3 and E supplements reduces neuronal loss‏ and oxidative stress in a model of rats with Alzheimer’s disease. Neurological Research. 2020; 42(10):862-8.
  12. Deniz GY, Laloglu E, Koc K, Geyikoglu F. Hepatoprotective potential of Ferula communis extract for carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative damage in rats. Biotechnic and Histochemistry. 2019; 94(5):334-40.
  13. Torabi F, Dadkhah A, Fatemi F, Dini S, Taghizadeh M, Malayeri MR. Prevention and therapy of 1, 2-dimethyl hydrazine induced colon carcinogenesis by Ferula assafoetida hydroalcoholic extract/1, 2-dimetilhidrazin ile indüklenmiş kalın bağırsak kanserlerinin Ferula assa-foetida ekstraktı kullanılarak önlenmesi ve tedavisi. Turkish Journal of Biochemistry. 2015;40(5):390-400.
Iranian Journal of Medical Physics
Volume 22, Issue 4 - Serial Number 4
July and August 2025
Pages 241-246

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 16 March 2023
  • Revise Date: 16 September 2025
  • Accept Date: 05 August 2023

Share

How to cite

Statistics