Radioprotective Effect of Ocimum sanctum and Amifostine on the Salivary Gland of Rats After Therapeutic Radioiodine Exposure

The current study investigated the radioprotective effect of Ocimum sanctum on the salivary gland of rats administered radioiodine (¹³¹I) and compared its efficacy with a known radioprotectant, amifostine. The experimental rats were divided in four groups and sacrificed in three different batches at 1, 3, and 6 months of time interval after 18.5 MBq/100g (i.p.) ¹³¹I exposure. Six months duration batch received ¹³¹I exposure twice with the gap of 3 months. Two groups of experimental rats were presupplemented with O. sanctum (40 mg/kg for 5 days, orally) and amifostine (200 mg/kg, s.c) before ¹³¹I exposure separately. Increased Technetium-99m-pertechnetate (^99mTcO₄⁻) uptake at 30 minutes post injection in salivary glands of only ¹³¹I exposed rats may imply delay in clearance at 6 months of exposure in comparison to their counterparts sacrificed at 1 month. Parotid gland histology showed atrophy with lipomatosis in only ¹³¹I exposed rats at 3 and 6 months of duration. O. sanctum and amifostine presupplemented and subsequently exposed to ¹³¹I rats at 3 and 6 months duration exhibited comparable histopathology with controls. Our study indicates possible radioprotective effect of O. sanctum and amifostine against high-dose ¹³¹I exposure.