Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21515, Egypt.
Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Omar Al-Mukhtar University, Al Bayda 00218, Libya.
Molecules. 2023 May 24;28(11):4302. doi: 10.3390/molecules28114302.
Ultraviolet C (UVC) devices are an effective means of disinfecting surfaces and protecting medical tools against various microbes, including coronavirus. Overexposure to UVC can induce oxidative stress, damage the genetic material, and harm biological systems. This study investigated the prophylactic efficacy of vitamin C and B12 against hepatotoxicity in UVC-intoxicated rats. Rats were irradiated with UVC (725.76, 967.68, and 1048.36 J/cm) for 2 weeks. The rats were pretreated with the aforementioned antioxidants for two months before UVC irradiation. The prophylactic effect of vitamins against UVC hepatotoxicity was evaluated by monitoring the alteration of liver enzyme activities, antioxidant status, apoptotic and inflammatory markers, DNA fragmentation, and histological and ultrastructural alterations. Rats exposed to UVC showed a significant increase in liver enzymes, oxidant-antioxidant balance disruption, and increased hepatic inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-1β, iNOS, and IDO-1). Additionally, obvious over-expression of activated caspase-3 protein and DNA fragmentation were detected. Histological and ultrastructural examinations verified the biochemical findings. Co-treatment with vitamins ameliorated the deviated parameters to variable degrees. In conclusion, vitamin C could alleviate UVC-induced hepatotoxicity more than vitamin B12 by diminishing oxidative stress, inflammation, and DNA damage. This study could provide a reference for the clinical practice of vitamin C and B12 as radioprotective for workers in UVC disinfectant areas.
紫外线 C（UVC）设备是一种有效消毒表面和保护医疗工具免受各种微生物（包括冠状病毒）侵害的方法。过度暴露于 UVC 会引起氧化应激、破坏遗传物质并损害生物系统。本研究探讨了维生素 C 和 B12 对 UVC 中毒大鼠肝毒性的预防作用。大鼠接受 UVC（725.76、967.68 和 1048.36 J/cm）照射 2 周。大鼠在 UVC 照射前两个月用上述抗氧化剂预处理。通过监测肝酶活性、抗氧化状态、凋亡和炎症标志物、DNA 片段化以及组织学和超微结构改变来评估维生素对 UVC 肝毒性的预防作用。暴露于 UVC 的大鼠肝酶显著增加，氧化还原平衡破坏，肝炎症标志物（TNF-α、IL-1β、iNOS 和 IDO-1）增加。此外，还检测到激活的 caspase-3 蛋白和 DNA 片段化明显过度表达。组织学和超微结构检查验证了生化发现。维生素联合治疗在不同程度上改善了偏离的参数。总之，维生素 C 通过减少氧化应激、炎症和 DNA 损伤，比维生素 B12 更能减轻 UVC 诱导的肝毒性。本研究可为 UVC 消毒剂区域工作人员的维生素 C 和 B12 作为放射防护的临床实践提供参考。
