Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Radioprotective effects of honeybee venom (Apis mellifera) against 915-MHz microwave radiation-induced DNA damage in wistar rat lymphocytes: in vitro study med./bio.

Published in: Int J Toxicol 2009; 28 (2): 88-98

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study the radioprotective effect of bee venom against DNA damage induced by 915 MHz microwave irradiation in rat lymphocytes.

Background/further details

Honeybee venom is a complex mixture of different active components including peptides, enzymes and amines which have a variety of pharmaceutical properties. Bee venom is used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of diseases (e.g. arthritis, rheumatism, back pain) and it has been reported that it possess anti-mutagenic, pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive and anti-cancer effects. Additionally it has been reported to possess a radioprotective capacity against gamma radiation.
Whole blood lymphocytes of Wistar rats are treated with 1 µg/ml bee venom four hours prior to and immediately before irradiation.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 915 MHz
Modulation type: pulsed
Exposure duration: continuous for 30 min

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 915 MHz
Type
Exposure duration continuous for 30 min
Modulation
Modulation type pulsed
Additional info

GSM basic signal modulation

Exposure setup
Exposure source
Setup blood placed inside a certified gigahertz transversal electromagnetic mode cell
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
electric field strength 30 V/m - - - uniform field inside the cell
power density 2.4 W/m² - - - -
SAR 0.6 W/kg - - whole body -

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Time of investigation:
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

The standard comet assay revealed that microwave exposure increased the DNA damage in rat lymphocytes.
The Fpg-modified comet assay (as marker for oxidative stress induced DNA damage) revealed statistical differences compared to controls, suggesting that oxidative stress is a possible mechanism of DNA damage induction.
The data showed that bee venom has a radioprotective effect against basal and oxidative DNA damage. Bee venom alone (at a concentration of 1 µg/ml) did not have any impact on genotoxicity and did not produce oxidative damage in rat lymphocytes.

Study character:

Study funded by

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