Abstract Background Radiation-induced injuries (RII) mainly result from reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are harmful compounds that can damage DNA. Asiaticoside (AC), one of the main functional components extracted from Centella asiatica, has potent pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity. However, its role in RII remains unclear. Purpose The purpose of the current study is to investigate whether AC can mitigate RII in vitro and in vivo. Material and Methods Cell model of RII was successfully established by 5J/m2 radiation in vitro. For the in vivo RII model, mice were irradiated with 5 Gy to the thorax. The degree of damage to cells or mouse tissue was determined by measuring the numbers of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), oxidative stress, and mouse survival rates. Results In the in vitro assay, AC administration significantly reduced radiation-induced growth inhibition of Escherichia coli and fibroblasts, DSBs and apoptosis of fibroblasts; in the in vivo study, AC could decrease antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) of plasma and protect mice from RII, thereby improving the survival rates of mice after radiation. Conclusions These novel data indicate that AC is able to prevent radiation-initiated genotoxicity by mitigating DNA damage, and might serve as a safe and effective radio-protective agent.

中文翻译：

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积雪草苷对辐射诱导的成纤维细胞增殖抑制和DNA损伤及小鼠死亡的保护作用

摘要背景辐射损伤 (RII) 主要由活性氧 (ROS) 引起，活性氧是可损伤 DNA 的有害化合物。Asiaticoside (AC) 是从积雪草中提取的主要功能成分之一，具有抗炎、抗氧化等强效药理作用。然而，它在 RII 中的作用仍不清楚。目的 本研究的目的是调查 AC 是否可以在体外和体内减轻 RII。材料与方法体外5J/m2辐射成功建立RII细胞模型。对于体内 RII 模型，对小鼠胸部照射 5 Gy。通过测量 DNA 双链断裂 (DSB) 的数量、氧化应激和小鼠存活率来确定对细胞或小鼠组织的损伤程度。结果 在体外试验中，AC 给药显着降低了辐射诱导的大肠杆菌和成纤维细胞、DSB 的生长抑制和成纤维细胞的凋亡；在体内研究中，AC可以降低血浆的抗氧化能力（T-AOC）并保护小鼠免受RII，从而提高小鼠辐射后的存活率。结论 这些新数据表明，AC 能够通过减轻 DNA 损伤来预防辐射引发的遗传毒性，并可能作为一种安全有效的辐射防护剂。