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.

By: Gajski G, Garaj-Vrhovac V

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

genotoxicity/mutation: DNA damage and protective effect of honeybee venom

Exposure

- microwaves
- mobile communications
- mobile phone
- GSM

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 915 MHz Modulation type: pulsed Exposure duration: continuous for 30 min	electric field strength: 30 V/m (uniform field inside the cell) power density: 2.4 W/m² SAR: 0.6 W/kg

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	915 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 30 min

Modulation

Modulation type	pulsed
Additional info	GSM basic signal modulation

Exposure setup

Exposure source	signal generator
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:

whole blood samples

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

genotoxicity/mutation: DNA damage and oxidative stress (standard alkaline comet assay (to measure basal DNA damage) and Fpg (formamidopyrimidine DNA-glycosylase)-modified comet assay (to measure oxidative stress-induced DNA damage))

Investigated system:

intact cell/cell culture
cell lysates

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:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

Ministry of Science, Education and Sports, Republic of Croatia

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