A novel traditional Chinese medicine combination for radiation

Ming Shang; Yicheng Ke; Jiangyun Liu; Zhifei Cao; Liying Zhang; Wenyang Zhang; Weiwei Pei; Guangming Zhou; Yongqi Liu

Radiation Medicine and Protection (Mar 2024)

A novel traditional Chinese medicine combination for radiation

Ming Shang,
Yicheng Ke,
Jiangyun Liu,
Zhifei Cao,
Liying Zhang,
Wenyang Zhang,
Weiwei Pei,
Guangming Zhou,
Yongqi Liu

Affiliations

Ming Shang: Provincial-Level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and Universities, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiological Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou 215123, China
Yicheng Ke: Provincial-Level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and Universities, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiological Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou 215123, China
Jiangyun Liu: College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
Zhifei Cao: Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
Liying Zhang: Provincial-Level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and Universities, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China
Wenyang Zhang: Provincial-Level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and Universities, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiological Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou 215123, China
Weiwei Pei: School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiological Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou 215123, China; Corresponding author.
Guangming Zhou: School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiological Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou 215123, China; Corresponding author.
Yongqi Liu: Provincial-Level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and Universities, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; Corresponding author.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 5, no. 1
pp. 37 – 42

Abstract

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Objective: To formulate an efficacious radioprotective combination of Chinese medicines with minimal toxicity. Methods: Aqueous and alcoholic extracts from 38 traditional Chinese herbs were prepared. To produce drug-containing sera, rats received six doses of each extract via oral gavage at 12-h intervals. Subsequently, human lung epithelial BEAS-2B cells were cultured in these drug-containing sera. The cell viability was assessed after different doses of irradiation to identify the radioprotective effects of Chinese herbal extracts. The efficacy of a selected Chinese herbal extract combination was further confirmed through cell viability analysis via in vitro colony formation and survival rate assessments in C57BL/6 mice post-irradiation. Results: Extracts from Angelicae Sinensis Radix (ASR; two extracts), Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP), Platycladi Cacumen (PC), Schisandrae chinensis Fructus (SF), Scutellariae Radix (SR), and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizome (GRR) demonstrated radioprotective effects. The combination of the seven Chinese herbal extracts notably increased the survival and viability of the BEAS-2B cells exposed to varying doses of X-rays. Moreover, the group of mice receiving Chinese medicine combination and irradiation exhibited prolonged survival after exposure to 6.5 Gy X-rays with a median survival of （14 ± 2）d compared to （11 ± 2）d in the irradiated group without the herbal treatment. Additionally, the Chinese medicine combination group displayed a significantly higher 28 d survival rate (30%) compared to the irradiation-only group (16.6%, P < 0.05). Conclusion: The novel combination of Chinese herbal extracts from ASR, CRP, PC, SF, SR, and GRR has the potential for radiation protection applications.

Published in Radiation Medicine and Protection

ISSN: 2666-5557 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Medicine: Medicine (General): Medical physics. Medical radiology. Nuclear medicine
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/radiation-medicine-and-protection

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