Antioxidant potential of sesamol and its role on radiation-induced DNA damage in whole-body irradiated Swiss albino mice

Sesamol (SM) is a dietary phytochemical present in the processed sesame oil. In this present study we have evaluated the antioxidant potential of SM and its role in the protection of radiation-induced DNA damage in gamma-irradiated mice. The antioxidant properties of SM were evaluated by using different in vitro antioxidant assays. SM shows scavenging effect against hydroxyl (OH center dot), superoxide anion (O2(center dot-)) nitric oxide, 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid radical cation (ABTS(center dot+)) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. Our results demonstrate that SM exhibits strong antioxidant property in all the in vitro assays. When mice were exposed to 7Gy gamma-radiations there was an increase in % tail DNA, tail length, tail moment and Olive tail moment in blood lymphocytes. SM (100 mg/kg b.wt) pretreatment significantly decreased the % tail DNA, tail length, tail moment and Olive tail moment in irradiated mice lymphocytes. These results suggest that SM protects gamma-radiation-induced DNA damage in mice lymphocytes, which may be attributed to its antioxidant property. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.