The use of ionizing radiation exposure increases oxidative stress especially for cancer patients. Therefore, there is a critical need to develop antioxidants that prevent oxidative stress damage. Arabic gum is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mediator. The function of Arabic gum (Acacia arabica) in protecting against injury to the liver tissue caused by 5 Gy whole-body γ-irradiation was studied using histopathological and ultrastructure techniques.
Materials and Methods: Forty-eight male albino Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into four groups: control (C), irradiated (R): rats were exposed to 5 Gy gamma-radiation as a single dose for 10 min., Arabic gum (AG) : rats were treated orally with 25 mg/kg/day AG for 3 weeks and AG + R. Experimental rats were treated orally with 25 mg/kg/day AG for one week before, and three weeks after irradiation, and were sacrificed after 7 and 21 days of irradiation. Results: Gamma radiation was observed to affect the histopathology and ultrastructure of liver tissues, such as distorting the central vein with a highly dilated and delaminated endothelial lining, lymphocytic infiltration, many vacuolated hepatocytes with increased signs of karyolysis and pyknosis in hepatocytes nuclei, faint electron outer and inner membranes of mitochondria and increases in collagen fibers. On the other hand, treatment with AG ameliorated all of the previous histological and ultrastructure changes. Arabic gum showed a radio-protective effect and improved liver structure indicating that pre-treatment with Arabic gum is effective in lowering the incidence of the hepatic histopathological changes induced by gamma-radiation with remarkable restoration of normal hepatocytes structure.