Could be radiolabeled flavonoid used to evaluate infection?

The aim of this study was to determine whether [131I]apigenin is a powerful and discrimination infection from inflammation for scintigraphic imaging. The study was carried out in inflamed rats with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and sterile inflamed rats with turpentine oil. Biodistribution study of [131I]apigenin was performed in the rats. Apigenin was labeled with 131I by iodogen method. Obtained [131I]apigenin with high yield (98%) was injected i.v. to both group rats. The results were expressed as the percent uptake of injected dose per gram of organ (%ID/g), the bacterial infected and sterile inflamed muscles. Binding of [ 131I]apigenin to the infected thigh muscle (target muscle = T) and normal thigh muscle (non-target muscle = NT) ratio (T/NT = 4.51 at 15 min) was higher than binding to bacterial inflamed muscle (T/NT = 2.25 at 15 min) of rats. [131I]apigenin showed good localization in both inflamed tissues. This uptake in the sterile inflamed tissue is higher than bacterial infected tissue. [131I]apigenin might be useful for imaging of inflamed tissues. However, it is not discriminate sterile inflamed tissue from bacterial infected tissue. © 2009 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary.