Comparative evaluation of the antistress effect of phenazepam, melatonin and their combination

Phenazepam and melatonin reduce anxiety in stressed rats, and their anxiolytic effect is enhanced in combination. Melatonin also limits stress-induced increases in sympathetic activity and eliminates the dysregulatory effect of phenazepam on the main indicators of heart rate variability.

Regulatory Role of Orexin in the Antistress Effect of “Press Tack Needle” Acupuncture Treatment

The aim of this research was to investigate the antistress effect of press tack needle (PTN) acupuncture treatment using rats with social isolation stress (SIS). Rats were divided into non-stress group (Grouped+sham), stress group (SIS+sham), and PTN-treated SIS group (SIS+PTN). Rats in the SIS+PTN and SIS+sham groups were housed alone for eight days. For the SIS+PTN group, a PTN (length, 0.3 or 1.2 mm) was fixed on the GV20 acupoint on day 7. We measured stress behavior based on the time the rats showed aggressive behavior and the levels of plasma corticosterone and orexin A on day 8. In addition, the orexin-1 receptor or orexin-2 receptor antagonist was administered to rats that were exposed to SIS. The duration of aggressive behavior was significantly prolonged in the SIS+sham group, and the prolonged duration was inhibited in the SIS+PTN (1.2 mm) group. The levels of plasma corticosterone and orexin A were significantly increased in the SIS+sham group; however, these increases were inhibited in the SIS+PTN group. The aggressive behavior was significantly reduced after the orexin-2 receptor antagonist was administered. These findings suggest that PTN treatment at GV20 may have an antistress effect, and the control of orexin is a mechanism underlying this phenomenon.

Cloacal temperature responses of broiler chickens administered with fisetin and probiotic (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and exposed to heat stress

There is dearth information on the role of fisetin as an antistress agent in ameliorating heat stress in broiler chickens. Here, we experimentally compared probiotic, an antioxidant and antistress agent, with fisetin, an antioxidant agent with little or no report on its antistress effect. Sixty-day-old broiler chickens (Arbo Acre breed) were allotted into 4 groups of 15 birds each as follows; control, fisetin, probiotic, and fisetin + probiotic groups, respectively. All administrations were performed orally through gavage for the treatment groups. The environmental and cloacal temperature (CT) parameters were measured bi-hourly at Days 21, 28, and 35 from 7:00 to 7:00 hr, during the period of study. The environmental parameters exceeded the thermoneutral zone for broiler chickens. The probiotic-supplemented group had the least overall mean CT values all through the experimental period. Based on our findings, fisetin was not a potent antistress agent in mitigating heat stress in birds.

Antidepressant Effect of Shaded White Leaf Tea Containing High Levels of Caffeine and Amino Acids

The young leaves of green tea become lighter in color than usual when protected from sunlight by a shading net for about two weeks while growing. These leaves are called “shaded white leaf tea” or SWLT. In the eluate of SWLT, the amount of amino acids (361 mg/L) was significantly higher than that in regular tea (53.5 mg/L). Since theanine and arginine, the first and second most abundant amino acids in SWLT, have significant antistress effects, we examined the antistress effect of SWLT on humans. SWLT or placebo green tea (3 g) was eluted with room-temperature water (500 mL). Participants consumed the tea for one week prior to pharmacy practice and continued for 10 days in the practice period. The state-trait anxiety inventory, an anxiety questionnaire, tended to be scored lower in the SWLT group than the placebo, but other stress markers showed no differences. The effect of the difference in SWLT components examined with mice showed that aspartic acid and asparagine, which are abundant in SWLT, counteracted the antistress effects of theanine and arginine. Large amounts of caffeine also interfered with SWLT’s antistress effect. Thus, SWLT, which is high in caffeine and amino acids, suppressed depressant behavior in mice.

Intermittent hypoxia improves behavioral and adrenal gland dysfunction induced by posttraumatic stress disorder in rats

Nonpharmacological treatments of stress-induced disorders are promising, since they enhance endogenous stress defense systems, are free of side effects, and have few contraindications. The present study tested the hypothesis that intermittent hypoxia conditioning (IHC) ameliorates behavioral, biochemical, and morphological signs of experimental posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) induced in rats with a model of predator stress (10-day exposure to cat urine scent, 15 min daily followed by 14 days of stress-free rest). After the last day of stress exposure, rats were conditioned in an altitude chamber for 14 days at a 1,000-m simulated altitude for 30 min on day 1 with altitude and duration progressively increasing to 4,000 m for 4 h on day 5. PTSD was associated with decreased time spent in open arms and increased time spent in closed arms of the elevated X-maze, increased anxiety index, and increased rate of freezing responses. Functional and structural signs of adrenal cortex degeneration were also observed, including decreased plasma concentration of corticosterone, decreased weight of adrenal glands, reduced thickness of the fasciculate zone, and hydropic degeneration of adrenal gland cells. The thickness of the adrenal fasciculate zone negatively correlated with the anxiety index. IHC alleviated both behavioral signs of PTSD and morphological evidence of adrenal cortex dystrophy. Also, IHC alone exerted an antistress effect, which was evident from the increased time spent in open arms of the elevated X-maze and a lower number of rats displaying freezing responses. Therefore, IHC of rats with experimental PTSD reduced behavioral signs of the condition and damage to the adrenal glands. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Intermittent hypoxia conditioning (IHC) has been shown to be cardio-, vaso-, and neuroprotective. For the first time, in a model of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this study showed that IHC alleviated both PTSD-induced behavioral disorders and functional and morphological damage to the adrenal glands. Also, IHC alone exerted an antistress effect. These results suggest that IHC may be a promising complementary treatment for PTSD-associated disorders.

EVALUATING THE ANTI-STRESS POTENTIAL OF PROPOFOL IN ROAD TRANSPORTATION WELFARE USING BIO-MARKERS IN WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOATS

Sixteen apparently healthy West African dwarf bucks were used in the study. They were randomly grouped into four with four animals each. Group one untreated non transported (non stressed control) control, group two was administered with propofol at 5mg/Kg intramuscularly , group three was administered with ascorbic acid 500mg/kg intramuscularly and group four non treated stressed control. Animals were carefully loaded in an open vehicle. The floor of the vehicle was cushioned to avoid the animals from sliding and injury. Then animals were subjected to a journey of 2hours at a speed of 40 kg/hr. Blood for haemotological analysis for full blood count was collected in bottles containing EDTA (ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid). While samples for assay of antioxidative enzymes were collected in bottles containing lithium heparin. The blood was also analysed superoxide dismutase (SOD), malonyldialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione -s- transferase (GST) respectively, using commercial Randox® kit. The packed cell volume (PCV) showed significantly (P<0.05) higher PCV in the groups treated with propofol, ascorbic acid and none-stress control midway into the journey. The neutrophils –lymphocytes ratio (N: L) levels in was significantly higher at prior the journey. The levels of MDA were significantly (P<0.05) higher prior and at the end of the journey phases in the propofol treated group. The ascorbic acid group showed significantly (P<0.05) higher level of MDA at the mid phase of the journey. While the GST levels prior to journey were significantly (P<0.05) higher compare to the other phases in the propofol and ascorbic acid treated groups and none treated stressed control. In the SOD level was significantly (P<0.05) higher prior stage of the journey in the propofol treated group. this infer that propofol possess antistress effect and could be used to improve animal welfare at transportation. Conclusively, the propofol possess antistress effect that is similar in mechanism to ascorbic acid and could be used in amelioration of stress in short term stress in animals. It however advised that the withdrawal period of the drug is adhered to prevent residue of drug in the meat product.

Antioxidant activity of catecholamines as a chane of them antistress effect

The antioxidant activity of some native catecholamines (adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine), water-soluble antioxidant emoxipine, agonist (apomorphine) and antagonist (haloperidol) of dopamine receptors was assessed as their influence on malonic dialdehyde content and products of lipid peroxidation in homogenates and suspension of the rat cortical brain cells. All catecholamines (adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine in concentrations of 10-4 M and 10-5 M) possessed a high (compartable with emoxipine) antioxidant activity. The most antioxidant effect was registered in apomorphine. The inhibitory action of apomorphine on lipid peroxidation in the brain cortex can be a result from both dopamine receptor activation and “direct” antioxidant mechanism.

In VivoAntistress and Antioxidant Effects of Fermented and Germinated Mung Bean

Mung bean has been traditionally used to alleviate heat stress. This effect may be contributed by the presence of flavonoids andγ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). On the other hand, fermentation and germination have been practised to enhance the nutritional and antioxidant properties of certain food products. The main focus of current study was to compare the antistress effect of none-process, fermented and germinated mung bean extracts. Acute and chronic restraint stresses were observed to promote the elevation of serum biochemical markers including cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, liver enzymes, and glucose. Chronic cold restraint stress was observed to increase theadrenal gland weight, brain 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) level while reducing brain antioxidant enzyme level. However, these parameters were found reverted in mice treated with diazepam, high concentration of fermented mung bean and high concentration of germinated mung bean. Moreover, enhanced level of antioxidant on the chronic stress mice was observed in fermented and germinated mung bean treated groups. In comparison between germinated and fermented mung bean, fermented mung bean always showed better antistress and antioxidant effects throughout this study.