Status of the research on radioprotective drugs and treatment of radiation damage by cytokines

Nitroxide, amifostine and steroids are most considered as candidates of radioprotective drug. Amifostine is the first radioprotective drug used in radiotherapy approved by FDA(Food and Drug Administration)of USA in 1999. The use of the cytokine in treatment of the radiation damage has been developed from single cytokine which just stimulates one cell population to the combination of cytokines which function as both hematopoitic cells and hematopoitic microenvironment. Therapeutic effect of radiation damage has been significantly improved by use of cytokine combination.