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Purpose: Freshwater fish Pangasius sutchi was used in this study as a vertebrate model. We evaluated the induction of certain antioxidant enzymes in various vital organs. The radioprotective efficacy of Gymnema sylvestre leaves extract (GS) [25   mg/kg Body Weight (B.W)] and its bioactive compound Gymnemagenin (GG) [0.3   mg/kg B.W] was compared with Amifostine (Ami), the only radioprotector clinically approved by the US-FDA [Ami- 83.3   mg/kg B.W] against different doses of gamma radiation - 60 Co (Lethal Dose: LD 30 -9.2   Gy, LD 50 -10.2   Gy and LD 70 -11.4   Gy)., Materials and Methods: This study was done via stress marker enzymes, cell cycle analysis (CCA) and DNA damage assay prediction with molecular docking, which are reported here for the first time. The results indicate an elevated LPO level and decreased level of CAT, SOD and GSH due to oxidative stress initiation by 60 Co Ionizing Radiation (IR) on 4th day and slightly reduced on 32nd day while the reverse observed when the fishes were pretreated with Ami, GS and GG. Similarly, CCA and dead/live cells counts were conducted with pretreatment of Ami, GS and GG against 60 Co IR dose (LD 50 -10.2   Gy)., Results: In CCA, G0/G1 phase was observed to be the highest in Ami and lowest in GG, against 60 Co IR doses 10.2   Gy which was 51.76   ±   7.55. The dead cells range observed in pretreated group of Ami, GS and GG was lowest in Ami and highest in GG and live cells (highest in Ami and lowest in GG) as compared to 60 Co IR group (86.43   ±   3.42 and 8.77   ±   5.95). Thus, antioxidant profile improvement by oxidative stress reduction and gradual progression of different phases of cell cycle except the apoptotic phase along with the live cells counts indicates that the radio-protective efficacy of GS is similar to Ami., Conclusion: Predictive assessment was carried out by docking of Ami, various components of GS with p53, NF-κβ cells and Rad51 proteins structures responsible for CCA, apoptosis and repair mechanism. These structural proteins were docked with other structural proteins like USP7, TNF-α and partner and localizer of BRCA2 associated (PALB2/BRCA2) complex which made us perform these systemic efforts to find the functional activity of these known radio-protectants.

Purpose: To study the distribution of Polonium ((210)Po) activity in dietary sources in the high background radiation zone of Puttetti in southern Tamil Nadu., Materials and Methods: (210)Po was analyzed in the food materials consumed by the male and female individual representatives living in the high background areas by 24-h Duplicate Diet Study (DDS) and Market Basket Study (MBS). The MBS was performed by collecting the food samples such as, cereals, fruits, leafy vegetables, roots and tubers, other vegetables, fish, meat and milk grown in the high background radiation zone of southern Tamil Nadu as a part of baseline study in this region. The DDS was done by collecting the food materials consumed including the beverages in 24 h from different age groups of male and female individuals living in the village of Puttetti. The intake and ingestion dose of the radionuclide (210)Po was estimated., Results: The average concentration of (210)Po in DDS (n = 33) was found to be 74 mBq.kg(- 1) of fresh weight. The MBS was collected based on food consumption representing more than 85-95% of annual supply, and were divided into eight food groups. The average concentration of (210)Po in the eight food groups namely leafy vegetables was 2176 mBq.kg(- 1) (n = 3), vegetables 55 mBq.kg(- 1) (n = 10), roots and tubers 251 mBq.kg(- 1) (n = 4), fruits 65 mBq.kg(- 1) (n = 5), fish 345 mBq.kg(- 1) (n = 2), meat food 117 mBq.kg(- 1) (n = 3), milk 20 mBq.kg(- 1) (n = 1) and cereal 290 (n = 1) mBq.kg(- 1) of fresh weight, respectively. The annual intake and ingestion dose due to (210)Po was estimated by DDS and MBS in adults, adolescents and children. The overall results showed that the MBS was moderately higher than the DDS in all age groups. Moreover, a DDS approach may even be more realistic, as cooked foodstuffs are used for dietary exposure assessment., Conclusion: The study confirms that the current levels of (210)Po do not pose a significant radiological risk to the local inhabitants.