PROTECTIVE ROLE OF OREGANO OIL AGAINST HISTOLOGICAL CHANGES IN WHOLE BODY GAMMA IRRADIATED ALBINO RATS

ABSTRACTThe present work is devoted to throw more light on the histopathological changes induced by gamma radiation and the radio-protective role of oregano oil on the spleen, lung and intestine of male albino rats.Ionizing radiation is a potent mutagenic and carcinogenic agent due to liberation of free radicals.Antioxidants are free radical scavengers that ameliorate the effect of ionizing radiation on the biological systems.This study was designed to investigate the protective role of oregano oil on radiation induced oxidative damage in rats. Oregano oil was supplemented by gavage to rats at a dose of 5 mg/kg body weight for 7 consecutive days and 14 days after iiradiation with 5 Gy (single dose) of whole body gamma irradiation. Exposure of animals to gamma-irradiation revealed variable changes in the histological structure of spleen, lung and intestine as compared with the control.The results showed significant protective effects of oregano oil against radiation induced histological disorders in spleen, lung and intestine