en Radiation Biology Radiation Biology تحقيق بديع Original Research <div style="text-align: justify;">Background: Radiation‐induced acute lung damages are refractory side effects in lung cancer radiotherapy (RT). Prospective study investigates the possible role of piperine (Pip) as anti-inflammatory agent against &gamma;-rays-induced lung tissue lesions in an applicable rat model. Materials and Methods: Fifty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: Control, rats were administered the vehicle by gastric tube for 6-weeks, Pip-treated, (each rat received 40mg Pip/kg body-weight; once daily, orally for 6weeks), irradiated, (animals subjected to a single dose of whole body &gamma;-rays (12Gy), and Pip-treated & irradiated, (each rat received the Pip-dosages, then one hour later after the last treatment, rats were exposed to 12Gy &gamma;-rays. &nbsp;Results: The administration of Pip to rats pre-irradiation was significantly abolish the radiation-induced alleviation in lungs catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (PGx) activities and reduced glutathione (GSH) content and significantly limited the elevation in serum tumor necrosis factor-&alpha; (TNF-&alpha;), interleukin-1&beta; (IL-1&beta;) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels compared to irradiated group. The histopathological findings in lung tissues of irradiated group, showed partial desquamation of bronchiolar epithelial with peri-bronchiolar round cell infiltration and serous exudates, in some cases lung presented sero-fibrinous pneumonia with emphysema and collapse of some alveoli with thickness of inter-alveolar septa, while in Pip-treated & irradiated group, lung tissues showed minimum injury with or without few degenerative changes. Conclusion: Pip acts as a potent scavenger of free radicals to prevent and/or ameliorates the harmful effects of &gamma;-rays. To our knowledge, this is the preliminary report of Pip mediated &gamma;-rays induced lung inflammation in-vitro.&nbsp;</div> Antioxidant, piperine, γ-rays, lung, pneumonia, rats. 75 84 http://ijrr.com/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-705&slc_lang=en&sid=1 A.A. Elkady elkadyah13@gmail.com 7900319475328460015620 7900319475328460015620 Yes Health Radiation Research Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), 29 Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt S.S. Tawfik 7900319475328460015621 7900319475328460015621 No Health Radiation Research Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), 29 Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt