Electrical behavior of stored erythrocytes after exposure to gamma radiation and the role of alpha-lipoic acid as radioprotector.

The effects of gamma rays (25, 50 and 100 Gy) on stored erythrocytes were studied by measuring their dielectric properties and observing their morphology under scanning electron microscopy. Alpha lipoic acid (a potent natural antioxidant) was introduced prior to irradiation for radioprotection. It can be concluded that the dose level of 25 Gy can be considered a safe sterile dose; however, irradiation doses of 50 and 100 Gy should be applied with the addition of alpha-acid to preserve the cell viability.