In this study, two chiral nitronyl nitroxyl radicals, L1 and D1, were synthesized and evaluated for their potential radioprotective properties invitro and invivo. We synthesized the new stable nitronyl nitroxide radicals, L1 and D1, according to Ullman’s method, and their chemical structures were characterized using UV-vis absorption, electron spin resonance (ESR), and circular dichroism (CD) spectra. The cytotoxicity of L1 and D1 on C6 glioma cells (C6 cells) was examined using the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. To study the anti-radiation effects of L1 and D1 on C6 cells, we determined the optical density (OD) values of irradiated C6 cells using the MTT assay. The effects of L1 and D1 on the survival rate of mice after radiation exposure was evaluated. To demonstrate the influence of L1 and D1 pre-treatment on the antioxidant enzyme system, we studied the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH) in mouse plasma after exposure to 6.5 Gy gamma radiation. The results showed that L1 and D1 did not have any obvious cytotoxicity at concentrations below 125μgmL−1. Moreover, L1 and D1 had the same cytotoxic effects on C6 cells. L1 and D1 significantly enhanced C6 cell survival after 8, 10, and 12 Gy radiation exposure, and there was no significant difference in the OD values between L1 and D1. The effects of these drugs on mouse survival rates were dose-dependent. Pre-treatment with different concentrations of L1, D1, or WR2721 significantly increased the activity of SOD, CAT, and GSH and significantly decreased the activity of MDA compared with radiation exposure only. In addition, the activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH in the L1 group were higher than those in the D1 group, whereas the activity of MDA was lower. Therefore, L1 and D1 have potential as safe and efficient therapeutic drugs against radiation damage.
