Enhanced thorium decorporation and mitigation of toxicity through combined use of Liv52® and diethylenetriamine pentaacetate

Thorium-232 (Th-232) is a promising fuel for advanced nuclear reactors. However, in case of internal human exposure to Th, there is currently no effective modality for its removal from liver and skeleton or for mitigating its effect. The FDA-approved agent, diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (DTPA), can remove Th and other actinides from blood circulation only. For the first time, a rationally-selected polyherbal hepatoprotective i.e. Liv52® (L52S), was evaluated in-combination with DTPA for its Th decorporation ability in Swiss mice. Inductively-coupled plasma mass spectroscopic analysis showed that oral administration of L52S in conjunction with DTPA significantly decreased Th burden from liver (20 %) and skeleton (33 %) as well as enhanced Th excretion (∼2.5 folds) through urine in comparison to DTPA or L52S alone. The combinatorial therapy was found to be complementary in-action, ameliorating Th-induced tissue damage in liver, spleen, and bone more effectively than monotherapy. Furthermore, markers of liver function (alanine transaminase) and liver inflammation and fibrosis (NF-κB & keratin) further validated the beneficial effect of L52S. The human consumption of L52S for various liver disorders further supports its clinical application for Th decorporation and mitigation of its health effects.

Gallic acid rescues uranyl acetate induced-hepatic dysfunction in rats by its antioxidant and cytoprotective potentials

BACKGROUND

The liver was identified as a primary target organ for the chemo-radiological effects of uranyl acetate (UA). Although the anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic properties of gallic acid (GA) make it a promising phytochemical to resist its hazards, there is no available data in this area of research.

METHODS

To address this issue, eighteen rats were randomly and equally divided into three groups. One group was received carboxymethyl cellulose (vehicle of GA) and kept as a control. The UA group was injected intraperitoneally with UA at a single dose of 5 mg/kg body weight. The third group (GA + UA group) was treated with GA orally at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight for 14 days before UA exposure. UA was injected on the 15th day of the experiment in either the UA group or the GA + UA group. The biochemical, histological, and immunohistochemical findings in the GA + UA group were compared to both control and UA groups.

RESULTS

The results showed that UA exposure led to a range of adverse effects. These included elevated plasma levels of aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, total protein, globulin, glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and very-low-density lipoprotein and decreased plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The exposure also disrupted the redox balance, evident through decreased plasma total antioxidant capacity and hepatic nitric oxide, superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase and increased hepatic oxidized glutathione and malondialdehyde. Plasma levels of albumin and alanine aminotransferase did not significantly change in all groups. Histopathological analysis revealed damage to liver tissue, characterized by deteriorations in tissue structure, excessive collagen accumulation, and depletion of glycogen. Furthermore, UA exposure up-regulated the immuno-expression of cleaved caspase-3 and down-regulated the immuno-expression of nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 in hepatic tissues, indicating an induction of apoptosis and oxidative stress response. However, the pre-treatment with GA proved to be effective in mitigating these negative effects induced by UA exposure, except for the disturbances in the lipid profile.

CONCLUSIONS

The study suggests that GA has the potential to act as a protective agent against the adverse effects of UA exposure on the liver. Its ability to restore redox balance and inhibit apoptosis makes it a promising candidate for countering the harmful effects of chemo-radiological agents such as UA.