Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Measuring DNA Damage and Repair in Mouse Splenocytes After Chronic In Vivo Exposure to Very Low Doses of Beta- and Gamma-Radiation
Published on: July 3, 2015
Radioprotective effect of rosemary extract against gamma radiation-induced DNA damage
Houria Negache1, Zohra Lamari2, Reihana Cheriguene1
1Radiobiology and Ionising Radiation Dosimetry Division, Department of Radiobiology and Life Sciences, Nuclear Research Center of Algiers, 2 Bd Frantz-Fanon, BP 399, Algiers-Gare, Algeria.
Abstract:
Radiotherapy, a major cancer treatment, remains constrained by the collateral damage of gamma radiation to healthy cells. This study evaluated crude rosemary extract (CRE) as a potential radioprotective agent against DNA damage in Vero cells exposed to 2 Gy of gamma radiation. MTT (Bromure de 3-(4,5-diméthylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphényltétrazolium assays showed that CRE was non-toxic, with IC50 values of 13.08 mg/ml at 24 h and 13.75 mg/ml at 48 h. The optimal dose (1 mg/ml) preserved 92% cell viability post-irradiation. Immunofluorescence revealed a significant decrease in γ-H2AX foci, indicating reduced DNA double-strand breaks. Flow cytometry further confirmed that CRE lowered apoptosis to 6.4%, compared to 81.1% in irradiated controls. These findings highlight the potential of rosemary extract as a natural radioprotector capable of limiting radiation-induced cellular damage.
Related Concept Videos
Mutations
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...
Other Unique Bacteria
Biological Effects of Radiation
Nucleotide Excision Repair
Cells are regularly exposed to mutagens—factors in the environment that can damage DNA and generate mutations. UV radiation is one of the most common mutagens and is estimated to introduce a significant number of changes in DNA. These include bends or kinks in the structure, which can block DNA replication or transcription. If these errors are not fixed, the damage can cause mutations, which in turn can result in cancer or disease depending on which sequences are...
Nucleotide Excision Repair
