Radiotherapy affects not only malignant, but also a healthy tissue adjacent
to tumor by increasing reactive oxygen species generation, with consequent
damage to biomolecules, such as the oxidation of membrane lipids, known as
lipid peroxidation. The end product of lipid peroxidation is
malondialdehyde. Radioprotectors are compounds that could significantly
protect normal cells from radiation, without changing the tumor cell
radiosensitivity. Synthetic radioprotectors usually have side effects and
are toxic. Natural radioprotectors exert protection without adverse effects. In this study, we examined the radioprotective ability of linden
honey in rat blood, by detecting alterations in the activities of
antioxidant enzymes catalase and glutathione peroxidase and malondialdehyde
concentration after the exposure to a therapeutic dose of gamma rays. Sixteen rats were randomly divided into Control and Honey groups. Honey group
received honey (1.5 mL(kgd-1)) orally for four weeks, while at the same time
Control group were given distilled water. After four weeks, blood was
sampled from all animals. Samples were halved, and one series of samples
were gamma irradiated (2 Gy). Radiation induced decreased glutathione
peroxidase activity and increased malondialdehyde level, while honey
treatment attenuated those alterations, keeping glutathione peroxidase and
malondialdehyde at physiological levels. These findings confirm
radioprotective properties of linden honey.