Radiomodifying evaluation of folic acid in Danio rerio embryos

The study investigated the potential of folic acid (FA) as a radiomodifying agent in zebrafish embryos exposed to ionizing radiation (IR). FA, a B-complex micronutrient, acts as a coenzyme in the metabolism of amino acids and in the synthesis of DNA and RNA. Using cell viability assays, the median inhibitory concentration (IC50) of FA was determined in the NCTC-L929 cell line (mouse connective tissue) (2.366 mg/mL). Tests were then carried out to determine the median lethal dose (LD50) of IR in embryos irradiated at 4, 6 and 24 hours post-fertilization (hpf) (LD50, 4 hpf - 96h: 9.77 Gy and 24 hpf - 144 h: 12.85 Gy). Subsequently, median lethal concentration (CL50) tests were carried out on zebrafish embryos exposed for 120 hours (CL50: 0.679 mg/mL). The results suggest that FA has radioprotective potential, standing out as a possible therapeutic strategy, providing important contributions for future research. Organisms irradiated after incubation with HF showed significant survival, with 96 hpf increasing by 12%, 17% for 120 hpf and 22% at 144 hpf.