Effect of oral ingestion of an Arctium lappa extract on the biodistribution of the radiopharmaceutical sodium pertechnetate in rats

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of the oral ingestion of an extract of the Arctium lappa (burdock) on the bio-distribution of the radio-pharmaceutical (radio-biocomplex) sodium pertechnetate (Na 99m TcO 4) in rats. Male Wistar rats (3 to 4 months of age, 329 ± 16 g) were treated with a burdock extract (1 ml, 20 mg/ml, n = 5) or 0.9% NaCl solution (control: n = 5) for 7 days. After this period of time, Na 99m TcO 4 (3.7 MBq, 0.3 ml) was injected through the ocular plexus. After 10 min, the rats were sacrificed, the organs isolated and counted in an automatic gamma counter. The percentage of radioactivity was calculated per gram of tissue (%ATI/g) or per whole organ (% ATI/organ). Alteration in Na 99m TcO 4 uptake was observed in liver from 1.72 ± 0.38 to 0.27 ± 0.07 (% ATI/organ, p < 0.05) and % ATI/g in lung (from 0.45 ± 0.40 to 1.02 ± 0.15 % ATI/g), in testis (from 0.12 ± 0.01 to 0.18 ± 0.02 % ATI/g), in tooth (from 0.24 ± 0.08 to 0.06 ± 0.13 % ATI/g), in tongue (from 0.38 ± 0.06 to 0.08 ± 0.16 % ATI/g) and in liver (from 1.07 ± 0.06 to 0.56 ± 0.15) after treatment with burdock. These findings could result from the interaction between components of the A. lappa extract and the radio-biocomplex which may influence the uptake of Na 99m TcO 4 in some organs of rats. Therefore, precautions are suggested in the interpretation of nuclear medicine results in patients using burdock.