Hematologic recovery of adult and weanling rats following whole body roentgen irradiation

Chang, K W

Abstract

Weanling (Six weeks old) and adult (Six months old) white Smith rats were exposed to 500 r whole body roentgen irradiation and the blood constituents were analysed for a period of 70 days. The reaction time and recovery rates of the various blood constituents were compared for the weanling and adult rats. In addition to this examination, I attempted to observe whether the pure Ginseng powder possess the effect of protective action to x-ray irradiation. (1) Weanling rats reponded more quickly and more drastically to whole body roentgen irradiation byleukopenia than did the adults, but they also recovered better after the irradiation insult. (2) Lowest Iymphopenia occurred by the first day in the weanlings and by the third day in the adults after irradiation. More drastical lymphopenia occurred in weanlings. Recovery is better in weanlings as in leukopenia. (3) Both in adultand weanling rats lost a high percentage of their neutrophiles by third days similary after irradiation, but weanlings recovered better than did adult at 49 days examination. This indicates more destructive changes of neutrophiles of adult rats. (4) Erythrocytes were originally higher in adults than weanling rats. Erythropenia inits lowest level occurred in both weanlings and adults by the two weeks. The wealing showed better recovery andover compensation in 49 days examination after irradiation. There was no evidence of better recovery of erythrocytein Ginseng abdoministered gruops compared to control groups. (5) Hemoglobin was originally higher in adults than weanling rats and both responded to whole body roentgen irradiation with a maximum drop at 14 days. Hemoglobin in both adults and weanlings showed over compensation at 49 days examination after irradiation. There was no evidence of better recovery of hemoglobin percentage in Giseng administered groups compared to control groups. (6) Platelets were originally higher in wealing rats than adult rats and responded to whole body roentgen irradiation with a maximum drop at 7 days and platelets in both adults adn weanlings showed over compensation at 49 days examination after irradiation. (7) Severe leukopenia was noted before death of the irradiated rats. (8) In the ginseng administerd rats, there was no evidence of prolonged life span and no evidence of better recovery was found.