Abstract
Adult healthy Swiss albino mice were procured and maintained in the animal house of Government Dungar College, Bikaner and provided with a balanced mice feed and water ad libitum. To investigate the protective effect of Picrorhiza kurroa against gamma radiation-induced biochemical changes in the brain, the animals were divided into four groups normal group, only Picrorhiza kurroa treated group, radiation-treated group, and Picrorhiza kurroa-treated groups. The animals were exposed to different doses of gamma radiation (2Gy, 4Gy & 6Gy) while the treatment groups received Picrorhiza kurroa 7 days prior to irradiation. A minimum of five animals from each group were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and autopsied at post-treatment intervals of 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, and 28 days. The brain was removed, processed, and preserved at −20°C for biochemical analysis. The biochemical estimation of total proteins, phospholipids, cholesterol, DNA, and RNA was carried out in the laboratory. Radiation exposure produced marked alterations in the biochemical parameters, with changes becoming more pronounced with doses in irradiated groups. In comparison, animals treated with Picrorhiza kurroa showed comparatively lesser alterations and an earlier trend towards recovery, particularly after the 7th day. By the later post-treatment intervals, the biochemical parameters showed signs of recovery in the treated groups. The comparatively early and faster recovery observed following Picrorhiza kurroa treatment suggests its potential neuroprotective role against radiation-induced biochemical alterations in the brain of Swiss albino mice. The findings indicate that Picrorhiza kurroa may have protective potential against radiation-induced oxidative and biochemical stress and may contribute to the prevention of radiation-associated neurological damage.