Phytochemical hispidulin versus clinically used anticancer drugs: A comparative analysis of gamma and neutron radiation interaction properties

The search for effective radiosensitising agents with minimal toxicity to normal tissues remains a critical challenge in cancer therapy. Plant-derived compounds, such as Hispidulin, have demonstrated promising anticancer activities with low cytotoxicity toward healthy cells. This study compared the radiation interaction characteristics of Hispidulin with those of anticancer agents commonly used in combination with radiotherapy, namely Ipilimumab, Trastuzumab, and Dacarbazine. The radiation interaction parameters, including the LAC, MAC, MFP, HVL, Zeff and Neff, were experimentally determined using a gamma spectrometer equipped with a Ba-133 radioactive source and ultra-low energy germanium detector (ULEGe). Theoretical calculations were also conducted for EBF and EABF. The findings suggest that agents such as Dacarbazine and Trastuzumab exhibit substantial energy deposition and neutron interaction capabilities, supporting their potential role in targeted or radiosensitising strategies, particularly under neutron-based therapies. In contrast, Hispidulin demonstrated notable radioprotective potential due to its superior attenuation efficiency, suggesting its potential use as a radioprotective or adjunctive agent rather than as a primary radiosensitizer. Moreover, Hispidulin's radiation interaction characteristics appear, in certain respects, to be comparable to those of established chemotherapeutic drugs. These results provide new insights into the potential application of Hispidulin as a adjunct to radiotherapy and emphasise the importance of evaluating anticancer agents not only in terms of their pharmacological activity but also in terms of their radiophysical properties.

Dergi

RADIATION PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY

Yıl

2026

Cilt

243

ISSN

0969-806X

eISSN

1879-0895

DOI

10.1016/j.radphyschem.2026.113637

WoS UID

WOS:001677121600001