Abstract

Objective: Ibuprofen and L-carnitine have been demonstrated to provide radioprotective activity to the hamster against whole body sublethal irradiation. The purpose of this study is to test those antioxidant drugs, each of which has the capacity of inhibiting mucosal injury, as topical radioprotectants for the intestine.

Material and Methods: The male hamsters were divided into the following four groups (n=6): group 1: control group, received saline, 1 ml/100 g by gavage, as placebo. Group 2: irradiated-control group, received whole body irradiation of 8 Gy as a single dose plus physiological saline. The animals in groups 3 and 4 were given a daily dose of 10 mg/kg of ibuprofen and 50 mg/kg of L-carnitine for 15 days respectively, before irradiation with a single dose of 8 Gy. Twenty-four hours after radiation exposure, the hamsters were sacrificed and samples were taken from the duodenum, and the histopatological determinations were carried out.

Results: Morphologically, examination of the gamma irradiated duodenum revealed the presence of shortening and thickening of villi and flattening of enterocytes, massive subepithelial lifting. Pretreatment of ibuprofen and L-carnitine with irradiation reduced these histopathological changes.

Conclusion: Ibuprofen and L-carnitine administrated by the oral route may be a good radioprotector against small intestinal damage in patients undergoing radiotherapy