MPG protection against radiation sickness and weight loss and its correlation with mortality of mice after whole-body gamma-irradiation.

The radiation-induced mortality together with the loss of body-weight and development of radiation sickness was studied in young adult Swiss albino mice after exposure to 1500 R of 60Co gamma-radiation in the presence and absence of 2-mercaptopropionyl-glycine (MGP), and results from both the groups were compared. It was found that the time of onset of radiation sickness was delayed in the drug-treated group, the mean survival time was also increased to 6 days as compared to 4.5 days in the untreated control group. These changes showed a direct correlation with the body-weight changes as the loss of weight in the drug-treated group was less marked and more gradual than in the untreated controls.

PMID: 7222134 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]