AMELIORATION OF 131I INDUCED SALIVARY GLAND DAMAGE BY OCIMUM SANCTUM AND AMIFOSTINE PRE SUPPLEMENTATION IN RABBITS

Oral administration of ¹³¹I to the patients of differentiated thyroid cancer is routinely used to ablate remnant thyroid tissue or metastasis. In 30% of the patients, permanent salivary gland damage due to therapeutic ¹³¹I exposure results in xerostomia, affecting their quality of life. Amifostine is the only standard FDA-approved radio protect ant available for damage control, albeit associated with side effects such as hypotension and allergic reactions.   The present study was carried out to compare the radioprotective effect of O. sanctum extract with that of a standard radio protectant, amifostine in salivary glands of the rabbits exposed to high dose (1GBq) of ¹³¹I  internal radiation exposure.  The study parameters included were salivary amylase, serum SGOT and SGPT, haematological parameters, 99m Technetium pertechnetate scintigraphy study, histopathology and ultrastructure of the salivary gland. The experimental rabbits were sacrificed after 6 months of ¹³¹I exposure. The experimental observations, majorly histopathological and electron microscopic are suggestive of better preservation of cell morphology and ultrastructure after O. santum as well as amifostine pre supplementation. This indicates the beneficial effects of O. sanctum extract pre supplementation for the radioprotection of salivary gland against therapeutic ¹³¹I exposure.