We have previously found that beer drinking reduces chromosome aberrations in lymphocytes irradiated in vitro. In this study, human whole blood was in vitro exposed to 200 kVp X rays or 50 keV/micro.m carbon ions in the presence or absence of beer, ethanol and b-pseudouridine (one of the beer component). All the three agents reduced the chromosome aberrations (dicentric) that were caused by either X rays or carbon ions of 4 Gy. Maximum protection for X rays by ethanol, beer and b-pseudouridine was 64 %, 26 % and 34 %, respectively, while maximum protection for carbon-ion by ethanol, beer and b-pseudouridine was 22 %, 26 % and 32 %, respectively. It is concluded that b-pseudouridine, a nucleotide component of tRNA, is a potent protector for damages caused not only by low radiation but also by high LET radiation.9th workshop on Heavy Charged Particles in Biology and Medicine and 3rd ENLIGHT co-ordination meetin
