RESUMEN
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of hesperidin (HES), a citrus flavonoid, against the severity of biochemical disorders in the cerebral hemispheres of irradiated rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Hesperidin (50 mg/kg body weight) was administered to male albino rats via gavages during 10 successive days before whole body exposure to gamma rays (5 Gy) and during 14 days after irradiation. The animals were sacrificed on the 14th day post-irradiation. RESULTS: The results demonstrated a significant increase of the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyls (CO), and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), associated to significant decreases of total superoxide dismutase (tSOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, and reduced thiols content in the cerebral hemispheres of irradiated rats indicating oxidative stress. A significant decrease of the serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EPI) contents and a significant increase of the activity of monoamine oxidase (MAO) were recorded, also, indicating alterations in the metabolism of monoamines. Moreover, a significant decrease of the activities of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and creatine phophokinase (CPK), and a significant increase of calcium ions (Ca (+2)) levels were recorded in the mitochondria. Hesperidin treatment has significantly attenuated oxidative stress, monoamines alterations and mitochondrial damage in the cerebral hemispheres of irradiated rats. CONCLUSION: It could be concluded that hesperidin might attenuate the severity of radiation-induced biochemical disorders in brain tissues.