Preclusion of radiation-mediated hematological and biochemical variations by root extract of Tinospora cordifolia (an indian medicinal plant)

The present study deals with the radiomodulatory influence of Tinospora cordifolia (Amrita) root extract on the peripheral blood of Swiss albino mice after 5.0 Gy gamma irradiation in the presence (experimental) or absence (control) of Tinospora cordifolia (75 mg/kg b.wt/day). The animals from different groups were necropsied and their blood collected on days 1, 3, 7, 15, and 30 postirradiation. A considerable decrease was recorded in the number of erythrocyte and total leucocyte counts, differential leucocytes, hemoglobin content, and hematocrit percentage in the irradiated control group, while a recovery pattern was recorded in experimental animals, however, without the attainment of normal levels up to the end of the experiment. Furthermore, Tinospora cordifolia root extract pretreatment significantly ameliorated radiation-induced elevation in cholesterol and lipid peroxidation levels, whereas, a decline in glutathione and total proteins concentration was noted