The increasing risk of radiation exposure underlines the need for novel radioprotective agents. Hence, a series of novel 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine derivatives were designed and synthesized. Some of the compounds protected human cells against radiation-induced apoptosis and exhibited low cytotoxicity. Compared to the previous series of piperazine derivatives, compound 8 exhibited a radioprotective effect on cell survival in vitro and low toxicity in vivo. It also enhanced the survival of mice 30 days after whole-body irradiation (although this increase was not statistically significant). Taken together, our in vitro and in vivo data indicate that some of our compounds are valuable for further research as potential radioprotectors.

Biomedical Research Center University Hospital Hradec Kralove Sokolska 581 500 05 Hradec Kralove Czech Republic

Department of Medical Biochemistry Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove Charles University Simkova 870 500 03 Hradec Kralove Czech Republic

Department of Radiobiology Faculty of Military Health Sciences University of Defence in Brno Trebesska 1575 500 01 Hradec Kralove Czech Republic

Department of Toxicology and Military Pharmacy Faculty of Military Health Sciences University of Defence in Brno Trebesska 1575 500 01 Hradec Kralove Czech Republic

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Second-generation piperazine derivatives as promising radiation countermeasures