Radioprotective activity of the complex of bivalent copper with 3-mercapto-2-hydroxypropyl ether of dextran (C-79)

The radioprotective activity of C-79 preparation was determined in the course of investigations carried out on mice. The activity was measured by the survival time of lethally irradiated animals and by means of the number of colonies (CFUs) on the spleens of irradiated animals. The endogenous and exogenous CFUs were determined. It was stated that the preparation, when introduced into animals several days before the irradiation with an appropriate dose of X rays, protected the homeopoetic cells of the examined animals against the irradiation effects. It was also revealed that the preparation significantly prolonged the survival time of the lethally irradiated mice. The protection activity of the preparation depended on the dose and the strategy of administration.