Vitamin E Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vitamin E, including details on benefits, dosage, supplements, antioxidants.

Vitamin E protects against the development of radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats.

Bese NS, Munzuroglu F, Uslu B, Arbak S, Yesiladali G, Sut N, Altug T, Ober A

Department of Radiation Oncology, Cerrahpasa Medical School, Istanbul University, 34098 Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey. nuranbese@superonline.com

AIMS: To investigate whether the application of vitamin E with or without pentoxifylline could modify the development of radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wistar albino rats were supplemented with either vitamin E or pentoxifylline or with both vitamin E and pentoxifylline after a single dose of 14 Gy thoracic irradiation. Supplementation was started the day after irradiation and continued until the rats were sacrificed. As a quantitative end point, the extent of fibrosis was evaluated with a scale from 0 (normal lung) to 8 (total fibrous obliteration of the field) at pathological examination of the lung tissue. RESULTS: A significant reduction in fibrosis was obtained in the group of rats supplemented with vitamin E with or without pentoxifylline, when compared with the group that had irradiation only. CONCLUSION: This experimental study showed that vitamin E supplementation immediately after irradiation protected rats against radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The combination with pentoxifylline was more effective, although pentoxifylline itself had limited efficacy, which was not statistically significant.

Published 16 April 2007 in Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol), 19(4): 260-4.
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