Protective Role of Onion Oil on Hepato- testicular Oxidative Damage Induced by Gamma Irradiation in Rats

Aim: Onions have potential antioxidant properties that lower the oxidative status. The Present study was aimed to investigate the antioxidant activity of onion oil in irradiated male albino rats.

Study Design: Randomized controlled experiment.

Place and Duration of Study: Experimental Animal Unit, Drug Radiation Research Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Cairo Egypt.

Methodology: Animals were divided to the following groups each of eight rats. Control group, Onion oil group: Rats received 200 mg/kg b.wt onion oil orally for seven days. IRR group: Rats were exposed to γ- ray as a fractionated dose of 9 Gy for 7 days, Onion oil + IRR group: Rats were administered with onion oil orally along with γ- ray exposure. At the end of this study the animals were sacrificed and the effects of onion oil against hepato- testicular oxidative damages were monitored by assaying the levels of serum alanine transferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phoshatase (ALP), as well as testosterone and DHEA level. In addition both liver and testis lipid peroxidation (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) were examined.

Results: The results showed a significant increase in serum ACP, AST, and ALT activities (107.7%, 91.1% and 100.2% compared to control) with a decrease in testosterone (12% compared to control) and non- significant change in DHEA. The levels of SOD (59.31±10.67 & 0.21± 0.022), CAT (0.2081± 0.022 & 0.247±0.0453) and GSH (0.32±0.046 & 3.46± 0.476) were significantly decreased in irradiated group, accompanied by significant increase in both liver and testis MDA (171.2±13.69 202.2±49.34) respectively. The levels of reversal effects of irradiation were shown by Onion oil + IRR group in both liver and testis.

Conclusion: Data concluded that onion oil showed the reversal effects of ionizing radiation induced hepato- testicular oxidative stress.