On July 3, TASS reported that a team from the Yu.A. Kosygin Institute of Geology at the Komi Scientific Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences has confirmed through long-term experiments that lignin possesses significant radiation-resistant properties. The related research findings could be used to develop new radioprotective drugs. The study was funded by the Russian Science Foundation.

At the international conference "Physical Chemistry of Plant Biopolymers" held in Arkhangelsk, lead researcher and Doctor of Chemistry Lyudmila Kocheva introduced to TASS that the experiments were conducted using a combined acute and chronic radiation exposure model: one group of experimental animals received a water-soluble lignin solution extracted from oat stems, while the control group received the same radiation dose but without lignin. The study covered organs such as bone marrow, spleen, adrenal glands, heart, blood system, gonads, and thyroid, systematically evaluating lignin's protective effects.

Lignin is a natural polymer present in plant cells, accounting for nearly one-third of the dry matter in trees, but its physiological effects have been relatively understudied previously. Addressing lignin's water-insolubility, the research team developed a patented preparation technology, allowing experimental animals to ingest lignin through drinking water.

Experimental data showed that mice receiving lignin exhibited a reduced number of double-strand DNA breaks after acute radiation exposure, an increased proportion of undamaged cells, and enhanced DNA repair capability; simultaneously, the proportion of micronucleated cells decreased, and the number of nucleated cells (hematopoietic cells) increased. Kocheva stated that this is strong evidence of lignin's positive effects on mammalian organisms, proving its potential as an effective protective agent in acute and chronic radiation exposure scenarios.

Currently, the research team has completed a comprehensive verification of lignin's anti-radiation mechanism, laying a scientific foundation for the development of radioprotective drugs.