Radioprotective Activities of Podophyllum hexandrum: Current Knowledge of the Molecular Mechanisms

This is the second article published in the Trees for Life Journal which deals with radioprotection (see http://www. tfljournal.org/article.php/2007042416194363 by Sancheti and Goyal). While it is not a major focus of this journal, radioprotection has interest for our readership and is attracting ever more attention within the scientific community. No synthetic radioprotective chemicals are available that are perfectly safe and effective. While a variety of plant extracts have been evaluated for their protective capacity, this work is still in its infancy. The following review highlights the radioprotective effects of the Himalayan Mayapple. It also illustrates the degree to which mechanism-based studies are beginning to support the purely observational work that initially brought to light the radioprotective effects of certain plants.