Radon Inhalation Protects Mice from Carbon-Tetrachloride-Induced Hepatic and Renal Damage

We assessed whether radon inhalation provided protection from carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced hepatic and renal damage in mice. Mice were subjected to intraperitoneal injection of CCl₄ after inhaling approximately 18 kBq/m³ radon for 6 h. Radon inhalation significantly increased total glutathione (t-GSH) content and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in the liver and kidney. Injection of CCl₄ was associated with significantly higher levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and creatinine level in serum, and pretreatment with radon significantly decreased the GOT and ALP activity and creatinine level associated with CCl₄ injection, suggesting that radon inhalation alleviates CCl₄-induced hepatic and renal damage. The t-GSH contents and GPx activity in the liver and kidney of animals pretreated with radon were significantly higher than those of the CCl₄-only group. These findings suggested that radon inhalation activated antioxidative functions and inhibited CCl₄-induced hepatic and renal damage in mice.