Exposure of individuals to radioactive material as a result of ingestion of contaminated food and water is an increasing public health concern. Unfortunately, there are limited treatment modalities for dealing with these types of potentially toxic exposures. Recent research suggests that many plant-based nutraceuticals may possess metal-binding properties. This preliminary study investigated the ability of genistein, curcumin, quercetin, and lentinan to bind metals considered internal contamination risks, namely cesium, uranium, cobalt, and strontium, in a variety of matrices. The efficacy of these nutraceuticals in protecting cultured cells from metal-induced toxicity was also explored. Results showed that none of the compounds bound cesium or strontium. However, genistein, curcumin, and quercetin could bind uranium. Curcumin and quercetin also bound cobalt and could also protect cultured cells from metal-induced cytotoxicity. Lentinan did not bind any of the metals tested. Metal binding was also pH dependent, with no binding observed at lower pH values. This project showed that nutraceuticals could function as chelators for metals considered internal radionuclide contamination hazards. Further investigations are required in order to determine whether these compounds will become a new nontoxic arsenal of pharmaceutical compounds with which to treat radionuclide contamination.
Keywords: chelation; contamination; curcumin; genistein; lentinan; quercetin; radionuclide.