Role of cardamom (elettaria cardamomum)‎ in ameliorating radiation induced oxidative stress in rats

Abstract EN

Radiation is one of the most widespread sources of environmental stress in living environment which cause oxidative stress and metabolic changes.

The present study aims to evaluate the antioxidant effect of Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) on gamma radiation-induced oxidative damage in liver and heart tis sues.

The study was conducted on forty (40) rats which were classified into four equal groups.

Group1: Control group, Group.

2: rats given cardamom in basal diet.Group3: Irradiated rats, rats were subjected to whole body gamma irradiation at 6 Gy delivere d as single exposure dose.

Group 4: irradiated +cardamom: rats receiving cardamom for 4 weeks and irradiated.

The animals were scarified 24h after irradiation.

Irradiated animals had significant increase in oxidative stress markers in liver and heart tissues expressed by significant increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) content associated to significant depletion of superoxide dismutase (SOD) , catalase (CAT) activities, and reduced glutathione (GSH) content .

Hepatic and cardiac changes included significant increases of serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) , total cholesterol(TC), triacylglycerol(TAG), low-density lipoprotein –cholesterol(LDL-C), and iron concentration.

While, a significant decre ase in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), manganese and copper were observed.

Addition of cardamom to the basal diet prior to gamma radiation, improved the tested parameters .

So it is a therapeutic alternative for oxidative stress, hyperlipidaemia and trace elements changes.

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The data obtained in this study suggest that cardamom may prevent liver and heart from radiation-induced damage.