Effects of Chinese herbal diet on hematopoiesis, immunity, and intestines of mice exposed to different doses of radiation

Radiotherapy causes a series of side effects in patients with malignant tumors. Polygonati Rhizoma, Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix, and Epimedii Folium are all traditional Chinese herbs with varieties of functions such as anti-radiation and immune regulation. In this study, the above three herbs were used as a herbal diet to study their effects on the hematopoietic, immune, and intestinal systems of mice exposed to three doses of radiation. Our study showed that the diet had no radiation-protective effect on the hematopoietic and immune systems. However, at the radiation dose of 4 Gy and 8 Gy, the diet showed an obvious radiation-protective effect on intestinal crypts. At the dose of 8 Gy, we also found that the Chinese herbal diet had an anti-radiation effect on reducing the loss of the inhibitory nNOS(+) neurons in the intestine. That provides a new diet for relieving the symptoms of hyperperistalsis and diarrhea in patients after radiotherapy.