[Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons]
In case of nuclear war, or even a limited nuclear strike, the greatest threat to human health, besides blast and burn injuries, is from acute radiation syndrome or ARS. This ominous and little-known acronym refers to the acute illness that ensues from significant partial- or whole-body irradiation. High turnover tissues such as the skin, bone marrow, gut and central nervous system (CNS) are particularly vulnerable to ARS.A bulwark against this possibility is radioprotective countermeasures. These are therapies given before radiation exposure, usually with antioxidant or anti-inflammatory properties that prevent the development or reduce the severity of acute radiation syndrome; other therapies, called radiomitigators are administered after radiation exposure to treat its complications.
The pressing need for radioprotective medical countermeasuresIn light of the aggr…