Effect of radioprotective aqueous extract for stigma saffron in peripheral human blood lymphocytes using cytokinesis-blocked Micronucleus assay

Humans in their daily life and activities are exposed to oxidizing agents such as ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation is able to damage the tissues, cells and their macromolecules, especially DNA. The free hydroxyl and proxyl radicals produced by ionizing irradiation have the main role in inducing these damages. However, because of its usefulness in medical activities for diagnostic and treating proposes, it is still widely being used. In this study, in order to achieve a suitable way to prevent or reduce the chromosomal damages caused by gamma radiation, three doses of aqueous extract of saffron, including 500, 1000 and 1500 μg.ml-1, were used under the designed protocol. Human peripheral blood lymphocytes were treated with these three doses and then exposed to 2Gy gamma radiation. Cells were harvested seventy two hours post culture initiation following Cyto-b treatment. Cytokinesis-Blocked human lymphocytes were Giemsa stained and the frequency of Micronucleus in binucleated cells was calculated. The result of the micronucleus assay in binucleated cells showed that aqueous extract of saffron was able to protect the cells against harmful chromosomal effect of irradiation and at the doses of 500 and 1000 μg.ml-1 the frequency of micronucleus in irradiated cells was decreased to half compared to non-treated cells (p≤0.01).