[Radiation protection effects of sinapine on Drosophila melanogaster in a sex-linked recessive lethal test system].

It has been shown that the radiation resistance of some cruciferous plants is related to some natural radiation protection substances in these plants. Sinapine, which has shown radiation protection effects on barley, wheat and mouse, is one of such substances distributed in cruciferous plants. In this paper, the radiation protection effects of sinapine on Drosophila melanogaster in a sex-linked recessive lethal (SLRL) test system were observed. The sinapine solution could be fed to the D. melanogaster (Oregon K). 40 Gy X-irradiation induced SLRL mutation rate of 8.96%. However, if 10 mg/ml sinapine which was found to have no physiological toxicity or harmful effects on its reproductive function, was fed before 40 Gy X-irradiation, the SLRL mutation rate could be reduced to 0.40%, which was within the range of spontaneous SLRL mutation rate of Oregon K Drosophila, i.e. 0-0.4%. The potential of the using of the very strong radiation protection effects of sinapine in anticarcinogenesis was also discussed.