Enhancement by carboxymethylglucan of early cellular damage in 1 Gy-irradiated mice.

Our results describe a novel carboxymethylglucan (CMG) activity, namely its radiosensitizing effect on early cellular damage in mice gamma-irradiated with a dose of 1 Gy. An increase of thymidine levels in blood plasma, determined 4 h after irradiation, was used as an indicator of the early cell death. The radiosensitizing effect was observed when administering CMG at time intervals close to irradiation time (1 h before to 1 h after irradiation). Diclofenac (an inhibitor of prostaglandin production) had no modifying effects on elevation of plasma thymidine levels induced by radiation or radiation + CMG. Pentoxifylline (an inhibitor of synthesis of tumour necrosis factor and of phosphodiesterase) administration elevated plasma thymidine to similar levels as CMG alone, combined pentoxifylline + CMG treatment had not additive effects.