Effects of beer administration in mice on acute toxicities induced by X rays and carbon ions

We have investigated the tissue specificity of radioprotection by beer, which was previously found for human lymphocytes. C3H/He female mice, aged 14 weeks, received an oral administration of beer, ethanol or saline at a dose of 1 ml/mouse 30 min before whole-body irradiation with 137Cs gamma rays or 50 keV/microm carbon ions. The dicentrics of chromosome aberrations in spleen cells were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced by beer and ethanol-administration for gamma-ray irradiation, but not for carbon-ion irradiation. The number of jejunal crypts plotted against the dose showed that both beer and ethanol significantly increased D0 (slope of a dose-survival curve) for gamma rays and carbon ions as well. Beer administration significantly (p < 0.05) increased LD(50/30) (radiation dose required to kill 50% of mice within 30 days) for gamma rays and carbon ions. Ethanol-administration also significantly (p < 0.05) increased the LD(50/30) value for gamma rays, but not for carbon ions. It is concluded that beer administration reduces the radiation injury caused by photons and carbon ions, depending on the tissue type. Radioprotection by beer administration is not solely due to OH radical-scavenging action by the ethanol contained in beer.