Coriandrum sativum Extract Prevents Alarm Substance-Induced Fear- and Anxiety-Like Responses in Adult Zebrafish.

Anxiety disorders appear to involve distinct neurobiological mechanisms and several medications are available against this mental health problem. However, pharmacological therapeutic approaches display undesirable side effects for patients, particularly when long-term therapy is required. Some evidences have suggested that Coriandrum sativum extract (CSE) provide sedative and anxiolytic effects. We investigate if CSE could attenuate anxiety-like behaviors induced by novelty and alarm substance exposures in zebrafish. Adult zebrafish were injected with vehicle, clonazepam, or CSE (25, 50 or 100 mg/kg) and submitted to novel tank test. At the end, saline or alarm substance was added and anxiety-like responses were recorded. Twenty-four hours after, fish were submitted to the light/dark test. Novelty associated with alarm substance exposure decreased distance traveled and total time mobile in novel tank, and CSE (at 50 and 100 mg/kg) prevented these alterations similarly to clonazepam. Alarm substance reduced the time spent in white compartment (p = 0.0193 as compared with vehicle group). Clonazepam and CSE prevented this anxiogenic effect of alarm substance. CSE presents anxiolytic effects against alarm substance-induced locomotor and anxiogenic responses similarly to clonazepam. These data corroborate with the use of this plant in traditional medicine and provides a putative new pharmacological intervention for anxiety disorders.

Expression of genes related to antioxidant activity in Nile tilapia kept under salinity stress and fed diets containing different levels of vitamin C.

The aim of this study was to examine whether (1) severe changes in salinity produced increased stress, and (2) vitamin C supplementation might reduce the observed damage in Nile tilapia. The parameters measured included condition factor, survival rate, and gene expression of catalase (CAT), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), glutathione reductase (GSR), glutathione synthase (GSS), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). The investigation was conducted with 160 Nile tilapia divided into four treatment groups: freshwater; 7 or 21 parts per thousand (‰) salinity, all fed a basal diet; as well as a fourth treatment group consisting of fish kept at 21‰ salinity fed a diet supplemented with vitamin C (1500 mg/kg). For gene expression analysis, liver samples were collected after 24 h or after 14 d. After 24 h, fish raised in 21‰ salinity and fed with the diet supplemented with vitamin C showed similar GPx expression as the control freshwater group. GSS expression in 21‰ salinity was similar to fish exposed to 7‰ salinity. Nile tilapia exposed to 21‰ salinity without vitamin C supplementation exhibited the highest HSP70 gene expression levels after 24 h. After 14-dtreatment, the lowest survival rate was observed in the 21‰ salinity group. After 14 d, the highest expression of GPx and GSR levels was detected in fish in the 21‰ salinity group that received vitamin C. Data indicate that vitamin C supplementation enhanced the expression of genes related to antioxidant capacity in Nile tilapia exposed to higher salinity, thereby increasing protection against the oxidative effects induced by high water salinity..