Effect ofO-(beta-hydroxyethyl)rutoside on intestinal tract cells following partial body irradiation

In the present study the influence of O-(beta-hydroxyethyl)-rutoside (HR) on the intestinal cells of irradiated mice was investigated. The mitotic activity in the duodenum after irradiation of the abdomen with 800 and 1200 R was shown to be significantly increased during the recovery phase after application of HR. The number of irradiation induced stem cell pycnoses was markedly reduced by HR in the case of both radiation doses. The initially decreased incorporation rate of H3-thymidine was found to increase more rapidly during the first few hours after irradiation in animals pretreated with HR than in those untreated. Cytogenesis of goblet cells, in the duodenum proved to be favourably influenced by HR. During the recovery phase the values were found to be above those observed in the control group and in the untreated animals. The mitosis free interval in the rectal cells immediately after irradiation proved to be shortened in the pretreated animals and the re-increase of the mitotic activity was found to be accelerated. The number of cell pycnoses was also markedly reduced after application of HR, while the incorporation rate of H3-thymidine was accelerated. The radiosensitivity of the goblet cells was not influenced by HR. Disorders in differentiation of the muciferous cells were observed in both test groups.