The evaluation of the oxidant injury as a function of time following brain irradiation in a rat model

This study presents the evaluation of the oxidant injury as a function of time following brain irradiation in a rat model. Thirty-five Wistar rats were divided into seven groups. The rats in Group 1 through Group 6 underwent irradiation, whereas the rats in Group 7 underwent sham irradiation. The rats in Group 1 through Group 6 underwent euthanasia at 1 through 48 h following irradiation, whereas the rats in Group 7 underwent euthanasia immediately following sham irradiation. At the time of euthanasia, the brain tissue was dissected for evaluation of the malondialdehyde (MDA) level and the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSHPX) activities. The mean MDA levels were increased and the mean SOD, CAT and GSHPX activities were decreased at all of the time points for evaluation for the rats that underwent irradiation as compared to the rats that underwent sham irradiation, substantial for Group 1 and gradually leveling out through Group 6. This study confirms that the oxidant injury is evaluated at its best through the first several hours following brain irradiation.