The study of the effects of low-level laser (LLL) radiation on blood is important for elucidating the mechanisms behind the interaction of LLL radiation and biologic tissues. Different therapy methods that involve blood irradiation have been developed and used for clinical purposes with beneficial effects. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of different irradiation protocols using a diode-pumped solid-state LLL (λ = 405 nm) on samples of human blood by measuring the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Human blood samples were obtained through venipuncture into tubes containing EDTA as an anticoagulant. Every sample was divided into two equal aliquots to be used as an irradiated sample and a non-irradiated control sample. The irradiated aliquot was subjected to a laser beam with a wavelength of 405 nm and an energy density of 72 J/cm2. The radiation source had a fixed irradiance of 30 mW/cm2. The ESR change was observed for three different experimental protocols: irradiated whole blood, irradiated red blood cells (RBCs) samples re-suspended in non-irradiated blood plasma, and non-irradiated RBCs re-suspended in irradiated blood plasma. The ESR values were measured after laser irradiation and compared with the non-irradiated control samples. Irradiated blood plasma in which non-radiated RBCs were re-suspended was found to result in the largest ESR decrease for healthy human RBCs, 51%, when compared with RBCs re-suspended in non-irradiated blood plasma. The decrease in ESR induced by LLL irradiation of the plasma alone was likely related to changes in the plasma composition and an increase in the erythrocyte zeta potential upon re-suspension of the RBCs in the irradiated blood plasma.
Litsea elliptica Blume leaves have been traditionally used as medicinal herbs because of its antimutagenicity, chemopreventative and insecticidal properties. In this study, the toxic effects of L. elliptica essential oil against Sprague-Dawley rat's red blood cells (RBCs) were evaluated. L. elliptica essential oil was given by oral gavage 5 times per week for 3 treated groups in the doses of 125, 250, and 500 mg/(kg body weight), respectively, and the control group received distilled water. Full blood count, RBC osmotic fragility, RBC morphological changes, and RBC membrane lipid were analyzed 28 d after the treatment. Although L. elliptica essential oil administration had significantly different effects on hemoglobin (Hb), mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean cell volume (MCV), and mean cell hemoglobin (MCH) in the experimental groups as compared to the control group (P<0.05), the values were still within the normal range. L. elliptica induced morphological changes of RBC into the form of echinocyte. The percentage of echinocyte increased significantly among the treated groups in a dose-response manner (P<0.001). The concentrations of RBC membrane phospholipids and cholesterol of all treated groups were significantly lower than those of control group (P<0.001). However, the RBC membrane osmotic fragility and total proteins of RBC membrane findings did not differ significantly between control and treated groups (P>0.05). It is concluded that structural changes in the RBC membrane due to L. elliptica essential oil administration did not cause severe membrane damage.