INFLUENCE OF DIETARY CYSTEINE UPON THE EFFECTS OF CONTINUOUS LOW-LEVEL IRRADIATION

摘要

Continuous gamma radiation (38.6 and 76.8 roentgens/week given in 8- and 16- hour periods/day, respectively) was administered for 6 weeks to 9 growing rats/radiation level. These were compared to 9 controls. Within these 3 groups, 3 levels of cysteine (0%, 0.4%, and 1.6% of total diet) were individually fed in a factorial experiment to determine if this compound in the daily diet would alleviate the effects of continuous irradiation.nAdverse effects on a number of physiological variables caused by the irradiation were not alleviated by the administration of this compound. In fact, certain criteria were affected to a greater degree when the animals were fed the high level of cysteine (reduced body growth, feed consumption and efficiency, and thymus and spleen weights).