ABSTRACT
Background Depression is a psychiatric disease condition and the chronic mild stress (CMS) model is a well-known and valuable animal model of depression. Geranium oil and anise oil were chosen for such a study. The aim of this research was to establish the geranium oil and anise oil effect to ameliorate CMS-related symptoms. Methods This research included 80 male albino rats each group of 10 rats and the animals were divided into two major groups: normal and CMS. The normal group was subdivided into four (control, geranium oil, anise oil and venlafaxine drug) subgroups treated orally with saline, geranium oil, anise oil and venlafaxine drug, respectively, for 4âweeks. The CMS group was subdivided into four (CMS without any treatment, CMS + geranium oil, CMS + anise oil and CMS + venlafaxine drug) subgroups treated orally with geranium oil, anise oil and venlafaxine drug, respectively, for 4âweeks. Results The sucrose consumption in sucrose preference test, the distance traveled test and center square entries test were decreased, while center square duration test, immobility time in tail suspension test and floating time in forced swimming test were increased in CMS. The superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione reductase and catalase levels decreased but malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels increased in brain cerebral cortex and hippocampus areas in CMS. The oral intake of geranium oil and anise oil pushes all these parameters to approach the control levels. These results were supported by histopathological investigations of both brain cerebral cortex and hippocampus tissues. Conclusions Geranium oil and anise oil ameliorate CMS-related symptoms and this effect were related to the antioxidant effects of oils.
Subject(s)
Antioxidants/pharmacology , Depression/drug therapy , Dietary Supplements , Plant Oils/pharmacology , Animals , Brain/drug effects , Disease Models, Animal , Geranium/chemistry , Male , Pimpinella/chemistry , Rats , Stress, Psychological/drug therapyABSTRACT
The long- and short-term effects of chloroquine (CAS 54-05-7) on glucose metabolism in rats were assessed. The long-term chronic chloroquine administration (5 and 10 mg/kg b.w. 6 days a week for 6 months) caused a decrease in serum glucose, insulin, calcium, potassium and protein levels, while the glucagon level increased. The short-term acute effect of chloroquine administration (10 mg/kg b.w. 6 days for one week) caused an improvement in glucose tolerance as shown by the decrease in glucose and insulin curves after an oral glucose tolerance test. This was accompanied by an increase in insulin activity, corrected insulin response, and glucose tolerance parameter and a decrease in glucose and insulin areas. Lactate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities were increased, too, indicating an increase which provides the needed energy for overcoming the injurious effect of chloroquine.