Figure 2.

Serum cholesterol and MDA content in SMGs of the four groups at different time intervals.

Notes: The total serum cholesterol of SIM-treated groups showed a decreasing tendency with time. Serum cholesterol of the irradiated groups showed a slight but not significant increase compared to the respective control groups (Figure 2A). Electron-ray radiation induced a significant increase of MDA content in SMG in Groups III (irradiation + solvent) and IV (irradiation + SIM) when compared to Group I (solvent + sham irradiation) at all three time intervals (P<0.01, Figure 2B). The extent of the increment in Group IV was less pronounced than that in Group III at 8 hours and 24 hours and returned to control levels by 4 weeks after IR. Each group consisted of six samples. **P<0.01, compared with the respective solvent group; ^##P<0.01, compared with Group IV.

Abbreviations: MDA, malondialdehyde; SMG, submandibular gland; d, days; h, hours; w, weeks.