Herbal Remedies for Combating Irradiation: a Green Antiirradiation Approach

Abstract

Plants play important roles in human life not only as suppliers of oxygen but also as a fundamental resourceto sustain the human race on this earthly plane. Plants also play a major role in our nutrition by convertingenergy from the sun during photosynthesis. In addition, plants have been used extensively in traditional medicinesince time immemorial. Information in the biomedical literature has indicated that many natural herbs havebeen investigated for their efficacy against lethal irradiation. Pharmacological studies by various groups ofinvestigators have shown that natural herbs possess significant radioprotective activity. In view of the immensemedicinal importance of natural product based radioprotective agents, this review aims at compiling all currentlyavailable information on radioprotective agents from medicinal plants and herbs, especially the evaluationmethods and mechanisms of action. In this review we particularly emphasize on ethnomedicinal uses, botany,phytochemistry, mechanisms of action and toxicology. We also describe modern techniques for evaluating herbalsamples as radioprotective agents. The usage of herbal remedies for combating lethal irradiation is a green antiirradiationapproach for the betterment of human beings without high cost, side effects and toxicity.