Ethanol binge drinking during pregnancy and its effects on salivary glands of offspring rats: oxidative stress, morphometric changes and salivary function impairments.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the biochemical and morphological effects of ethanol (EtOH) binge drinking during pregnancy on parotid glands (PG), submandibular glands (SMG), and saliva of offspring rats. METHODS: Pregnant Wistar rats (n = 8) were exposed to EtOH consumption (3 g/kg/day - 20 % w/v) for three consecutive days. The saliva of 40-day-old offspring rats was collected to determine amylase activity and total protein concentration. PG and SMG were collected to performe oxidative biochemistry, morphometric and immunohistochemistry analyses (Student's t-test, p < .05). RESULTS: EtOH consumption during pregnancy significantly decreased the total protein concentration and decreased amylase activity. In the PG, the EtOH group showed increased lipid peroxidation and decreased antioxidant capacity against peroxyl. In the SMG, the EtOH group showed increased lipid peroxidation and NOx metabolite levels. PG exposed to EtOH showed a decrease of acini, ducts, and total parenchymal area. SMG exposed to EtOH showed an increase in the total stromal area. The expression of CK-19 and Vimentin were found not different between groups. CONCLUSIONS: For the first time, a three-day EtOH binge-drinking protocol during pregnancy is associated with oxidative stress and morphometric alterations in the salivary glands of offspring rats and with the functional reduction of the main salivary enzyme (amylase). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: EtOH consumption during pregnancy altered the morphology and physiology of the salivary glands of offspring rats.

Antidepressant and Antiaging Effects of Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) in Mice.

Depression is a mental disorder that affects 300 million people of all ages worldwide, but fewer than half of those with the condition receive adequate treatment. In addition, the high pharmacological refractoriness (affecting 30%-50% of patients) and toxicity of some classical antidepressants support the pursuit of new therapies. People with this condition show depressed mood, loss of pleasure, high levels of oxidative stress, and accelerated biological aging (decreased telomere length and expression of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), the enzyme responsible for telomere maintenance). Because of the close relationship between depression and oxidative stress, nutraceuticals with antioxidant properties are excellent candidates for therapy. This study represents the first investigation of the possible antidepressant and antiaging effects of commercial samples of clarified açaí (Euterpe oleracea) juice (EO). This fruit is rich in antioxidants and widely consumed. In this study, mice were treated with saline or EO (10 µL/g, oral) for 4 days and then with saline or lipopolysaccharide (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) to induce depressive-like behavior. Only four doses of EO were enough to abolish the despair-like and anhedonia behaviors and alterations observed in electromyographic measurements. The antidepression effect of EO was similar to that of imipramine and associated with antioxidant and antiaging effects (preventing lipid peroxidation and increasing TERT mRNA expression, respectively) in three major brain regions involved in depression (hippocampus, striatum, and prefrontal cortex). Additionally, EO significantly protected hippocampal cells, preventing neuronal loss associated with the depressive-like state and nitrite level increases (an indirect marker of nitric oxide production). Moreover, EO alone significantly increased TERT mRNA expression, revealing for the first time a potent antiaging action in the brain that suggests neuroprotection against long-term age-related consequences.

Physical Exercise Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Morphofunctional Cerebellar Damages Induced by the Ethanol Binge Drinking Paradigm from Adolescence to Adulthood in Rats.

Ethanol (EtOH) binge drinking is characterized by high EtOH intake during few hours followed by withdrawal. Protection strategies against the damages generated by this binge are poorly explored. Thus, this study is aimed at investigating the protective role of treadmill physical exercise (PE) on the damage caused after repeated cycles of binge-like EtOH exposure in the oxidative biochemistry, morphology, and cerebellar function of rats from adolescence to adulthood. For this, animals were divided into four groups: control group (sedentary animals with doses of distilled water), exercised group (exercised animals with doses of distilled water), EtOH group (sedentary animals with doses of 3 g/kg/day of EtOH, 20% w/v), and exercised+EtOH group (exercised animals with previous mentioned doses of EtOH). The PE occurred on a running treadmill for 5 days a week for 4 weeks, and all doses of EtOH were administered through intragastric gavage in four repeated cycles of EtOH in a binge-like manner. After the EtOH protocol and PE, animals were submitted to open field and beam walking tests. In sequence, the cerebellums were collected for the biochemical and morphological analyses. Biochemical changes were analyzed by measurement of Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), reduced glutathione content measurements (GSH), and measurement of nitrite and lipid peroxidation (LPO). In morphological analyses, Purkinje cell density evaluation and immunohistochemistry evaluation were measured by antimyelin basic protein (MBP) and antisynaptophysin (SYP). The present findings demonstrate that the binge drinking protocol induced oxidative biochemistry misbalance, from the decrease of TEAC levels and higher LPO related to tissue damage and motor impairment. In addition, we have shown for the first time that treadmill physical exercise reduced tissue and functional alterations displayed by EtOH exposure.