Epinephrine ameliorating response of serum proteins and protein fractions to whole body gamma irradiation in albino rats

ABSTRACT

The present study was carried out to investigate the role of epinephrine in modifying the radiation induced effects on serum protein as presented by total protein, protein fractions and albumin/globulin [A/G] ratio in adult albino rats. Epinephrine was intraperitoneally injected at a concentration of 200 microg/kg body weight, 15 min, pre-[or just after] whole body gamma-irradiation of rats at a dose of 6 Gy [single dose]. Studies have been undertaken at periods of 1 hr, 4 hrs, 1, 3 and 7 days after irradiation. Data of the present study revealed that whole body gamma-irradiation induced significant decreased in the total content of serum protein and albumin at 1, 3 and 7 days post radiation exposure alpha[1] -globulin significantly increased only on the 1[st] hr post-irradiation, however alpha[2]-globulin significantly increased along all the experimental periods. Beta-globulin insignificantly changed after irradiation but gamma-globulin significantly decreased during the experimental periods. These changes were associated with significant decreases in A/G ratio at 3 and 7 days post-irradiation. Administration of epinephrine pre-or after radiation exposure produced some amelioration in the radiation induced changes in the studied parameters. So, it could be concluded that epinephrine plays a beneficial radioprotective role through its pharmacologic properties