Complete blood counts were analyzed for 30 samples of human blood with radiation dose rate ranging between 10 and 41 μSv/h using a Radium-226 source with different time of exposure. A new technique involving a nuclear track detector type CR-39(CR-39 NTDs) was used to estimate the alpha particle density incident on the blood samples. The results show that the ranges of alpha particle in blood samples and on the surface of CR-39NTDs vary exponentially with energy of alpha particles. This depends on the restricted energy loss and target density. Changes in the blood components due to irradiation occurred for different durations of irradiation, and the duration of irradiation that influenced the blood samples in this study was 6 min. The change in red blood cell (RBC) was negligible, so it is less affected than other blood components. In addition, most changes in the blood contents began at a low radiation dose (10.38-13.41 μSv/h). For the doses 13.41-21.77 μSv/h, platelet (PLT) counts increased rapidly and adversely with the RBC and white blood cell (WBC) due to chromosomal aberration. Besides, rapid PLT count reduction rapidly at high dose (42.1 μSvh) causes thrombocytopenia; in contrast, WBC increased, which is an indication of cancer caused due to increase in alpha particle dose. Generally, our results are in agreement with the essentials of blood content and the principles of biological radiation interaction.
The radioprotective effect of Polyalthia longifolia was studied in mice. P. longifolia treatment showed improvement in mice survival compared to 100% mortality in the irradiated mice. Significant increases in hemoglobin concentration, and red blood cell, white blood cell and platelet counts were observed in the animals pretreated with leaf extract. Pre-irradiation administration of P. longifolia leaf extract also increased the CFU counts of the spleen colony and increased the relative spleen size. A dose-dependent decrease in lipid peroxidation levels was observed in the animals pretreated with P. longifolia. However, although the animals pretreated with P. longifolia exhibited a significant increase in superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, the values remained below normal in both liver and the intestine. Pre-irradiation administration of P. longifolia also resulted in the regeneration of the mucosal crypts and villi of the intestine. Moreover, pretreatment with P. longifolia leaf extract also showed restoration of the normal liver cell structure and a significant reduction in the elevated levels of ALT, AST and bilirubin. These results suggested the radioprotective ability of P. longifolia leaf extract, which is significant for future investigation for human applications in developing efficient, economically viable, non-toxic natural and clinically acceptable novel radioprotectors.