摘要:We have investigated the tissue specificity of radioprotection by beer, which was previously found for human lymphocytes. C3H/He female mice, aged 14 weeks, received an oral administration of beer, ethanol or saline at a dose of 1 ml/mouse 30 min before whole-body irradiation with 137 Cs γ rays or 50 keV/μm carbon ions. The dicentrics of chromosome aberrations in spleen cells were significantly ( p < 0.05) reduced by beer and ethanol-administration for γ-ray irradiation, but not for carbon-ion irradiation. The number of jejunal crypts plotted against the dose showed that both beer and ethanol significantly increased D 0 (slope of a dose-survival curve) for γ rays and carbon ions as well. Beer administration significantly ( p < 0.05) increased LD 50/30 (radiation dose required to kill 50% of mice within 30 days) for γ rays and carbon ions. Ethanol-administration also significantly ( p < 0.05) increased the LD 50/30 value for γ rays, but not for carbon ions. It is concluded that beer administration reduces the radiation injury caused by photons and carbon ions, depending on the tissue type. Radioprotection by beer administration is not solely due to OH radical-scavenging action by the ethanol contained in beer.