The effect of silymarin on concentration and total content of nucleic acids in tissues of continuously irradiated rats.

The effect of the hepatoprotective drug silymarin (Flavobion) on the radiation injury of rats continuously irradiated with gamma rays (60Co) was studied. The rats were irradiated during 14 days by the dose rates of 0.2 and 0.6 Gy/day. In the course of irradiation the animals were treated with silymarin twice daily (70 mg/kg p. o. by tube). Silymarin effect was evaluated on the basis of quantitative changes of nucleic acids in the regenerating liver (after 70% hepatectomy), spleen, bone marrow and blood. Silymarin administration in the course of continuous gamma irradiation influenced beneficially the radiation-induced changes of DNA and RNA especially in the bone marrow.