Immunotoxicity of zearalenone in Balb/c mice in a high subchronic dosing study counteracted by Raphanus sativus extract.

Radish (Raphanus sativus) is a cruciferous plant, rich on flavonoids, isothiocyanates, and phenolic acids. They show anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity both in vitro and in vivo. Isothiocyanates and flavonoids have been reported previously to prevent low-sub-chronic dose of zearalenone (ZEN) causing immunotoxicity. The present study focuses on the amelioration of fusarotoxicosis in Balb/c mice by feeding two concentrations of radish extract. The extract at 15 and 30 mg/kg bw, was evaluated to reduce the deleterious effects in immunological parameters of high subchronic doses of 40 and 80 mg of ZEN/kg bw on modulation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). ZEN consuming mice showed a "dose-related" decrease in weight gain and in the immune relative weights organs. Moreover, Atrophy and lymphoid depletion were seen in the histopathology of spleen. Ingestion of ZEN at either level had a significant effect on total red blood cell numbers and on their relative number of lymphocytes. Likewise, ZEN alters the production of regulatory cytokines and antibody of LPS stimulated mice. By contrast, the additions of radish extract with a low or high dose of ZEN moderately decreased the affected mice and/or the severity of lesions, and all tested parameters were normal or at least near normal levels. In addition, the radish extract alone did not produce any significant changes in all tested parameters compared with the controls. In conclusion, radish extract was effective for the protection of high dose ZEN-immunotoxication in mice and it could contribute to a solution of the ZEN immunotoxicity in humans and in farm animals.