Protective effect of vinegar powder on 60Coγ radiation-injured mice and its potential mechanism.

Abstract

Background: Ionizing radiation (IR) induces significant oxidative stress, immune dysregulation, and cellular injury. Nevertheless, conventional chemical radioprotectants usually exhibit considerable toxicity and undesirable side effects, thereby restricting their applicability for prolonged administration.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the radioprotective efficacy of vinegar powder (VP), a natural and non-toxic agent with potential for long-term administration.

Methods: Male Kunming mice were randomly allocated into six groups and orally administered saline, leucogen (12 mg/kg), and VP at doses of 1.35, 2.7, or 5.4 g/kg for 30 consecutive days. Except for the control group, all mice were subjected to 6 Gy of ⁶⁰Co γ-irradiation to establish a radiation injury model.

Results: Compared with the irradiated model group, VP treatment significantly increased white blood cell (WBC) count by 36.69% and bone marrow DNA content by 27.65%, demonstrating potent radioprotective effects. VP also effectively restored radiation-induced depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) and suppressed malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation. Histopathological analysis of the spleen and liver revealed that VP administration substantially preserved tissue architecture compared to the radiation-damaged model group. Furthermore, network pharmacology and molecular validation were employed to elucidate VP's radioprotective mechanisms. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that VP primarily modulated the apoptosis and NF-κB (p65) signaling pathways, targeting key molecules including RELA, Bcl-2, IKBKB, PARP1, XIAP, and CFLAR. Western blot analysis confirmed that VP alleviated radiation-induced oxidative damage by suppressing NF-κB (p65) and Bax expression while upregulating Bcl-2.

Conclusion: Collectively, VP effectively ameliorated radiation-induced oxidative stress, hematopoietic dysfunction, and tissue damage in mice, highlighting its promise as a novel, naturally derived radioprotective agent.