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Is wheat germ grass detrimental during radiotherapy?: a hypothesis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 May 2016

Tejinder Kataria ,
Deepak Gupta ,
Sasikumar Sambasivam ,
Nisha T. Vishnu ,
Shikha Goyal ,
Shyam Singh Bisht ,
Trinanjan Basu ,
Ashu Abhishek ,
Kushal Narang  and
Susovan Banerjee
Tejinder Kataria
Affiliation:
Radiation Oncology, Medanta – The Medicity, Gurgaon, Haryana, India
Deepak Gupta*
Affiliation:
Radiation Oncology, Medanta – The Medicity, Gurgaon, Haryana, India
Sasikumar Sambasivam
Affiliation:
Radiation Oncology, Medanta – The Medicity, Gurgaon, Haryana, India
Nisha T. Vishnu
Affiliation:
Radiation Oncology, Medanta – The Medicity, Gurgaon, Haryana, India
Shikha Goyal
Affiliation:
Radiation Oncology, Medanta – The Medicity, Gurgaon, Haryana, India
Shyam Singh Bisht
Affiliation:
Radiation Oncology, Medanta – The Medicity, Gurgaon, Haryana, India
Trinanjan Basu
Affiliation:
Radiation Oncology, Medanta – The Medicity, Gurgaon, Haryana, India
Ashu Abhishek
Affiliation:
Radiation Oncology, Medanta – The Medicity, Gurgaon, Haryana, India
Kushal Narang
Affiliation:
Radiation Oncology, Medanta – The Medicity, Gurgaon, Haryana, India
Susovan Banerjee
Affiliation:
Radiation Oncology, Medanta – The Medicity, Gurgaon, Haryana, India
*
Correspondence to: Deepak Gupta, Radiation Oncology, Medanta – The Medicity, Gurgaon, Haryana, India. Tel: 918860261459. E-mail: deepakonco@gmail.com
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Abstract

Background

Antioxidant therapies to control oxidative damage have already attracted worldwide attention in recent years. Extensive studies on phytochemicals in cell culture system and animal models have provided a wealth of information on the mechanism by which such nutraceuticals show their beneficial effect. Nutraceuticals include plant-derived factors (phytochemicals) and factors derived from animal sources as well as from microbial sources. The activities of nutraceuticals are broad and include antioxidation, modulation of enzyme activity and modification of natural hormonal activity (agonist or antagonist) to act as a precursor for one or more beneficial molecules. Antioxidants scavenge free radicals that cause cell damage. Antioxidant consumption during radiotherapy and its effects are still controversial. Some studies suggest that antioxidant supplementation during chemotherapy or radiotherapy may be beneficial and some, harmful. Wheat grass is rich in superoxide dismutase, an antioxidant enzyme. Radiotherapy causes tumour cell kill via activation of reactive oxygen species, specifically by the hydroxyl radical and needs the reactive species for effective tumour control. Wheat grass which is rich in free radical scavengers can interfere with reactive oxygen species generated by radiation for tumour cell kill and can be detrimental to the therapy per se.

Purpose

To hypothesise if the antioxidant properties of wheat grass could influence tumour activity, the effects of radiation therapy on tumour cells can be nullified when wheat grass is taken during radiotherapy.

Keywords

antioxidantfree radicalradiotherapywheat germ grass
Type
Educational Note
Information
Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice , Volume 15 , Issue 3 , September 2016 , pp. 296 - 302
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2016 

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