Adaptogenic potential of royal jelly in liver of rats exposed to chronic stress.

Douglas Carvalho Caixeta,Leonardo Gomes Peixoto,Helen Lara Machado,Danielle Diniz Vilela,Adriele Vieira De Souza,Renata Roland Teixeira,Celso Rodrigues Franci,Nathalia Belele Baptista,Foued Salmen Espindola,M Faadiel Essop

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0191889

Douglas Carvalho Caixeta, Leonardo Gomes Peixoto + Show 8 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191889

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Abstract

Restraint and cold stress increase both corticosterone and glycemia, which lead to oxidative damages in hepatic tissue. This study assessed the effect of royal jelly (RJ) supplementation on the corticosterone level, glycemia, plasma enzymes and hepatic antioxidant system in restraint and cold stressed rats. Wistar rats were allocated into no-stress, stress, no-stress supplemented with RJ and stress supplemented with RJ groups. Initially, RJ (200mg/Kg) was administered for fourteen days and stressed groups were submitted to chronic stress from the seventh day. The results showed that RJ supplementation decreases corticosterone levels and improves glycemia control after stress induction. RJ supplementation also decreased the body weight, AST, ALP and GGT. Moreover, RJ improved total antioxidant capacity, SOD activity and reduced GSH, GR and lipoperoxidation in the liver. Thus, RJ supplementation reestablished the corticosterone levels and the hepatic antioxidant system in stressed rats, indicating an adaptogenic and hepatoprotective potential of RJ.

Highlights

The adaptive response to stress is characterized by psychophysiological adaptations of an organism to restore homeostasis [1]
No stress (NS), No stress supplemented with royal jelly (NSRJ), Stress(S) and Stress supplemented with royal jelly (SRJ); Aspartate transaminase (AST); Alanine transaminase (ALT); γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
No Stress supplemented with Royal Jelly (NSRJ) and supplemented with Royal Jelly (SRJ) decreased the AST levels compared to NS (F3, 29 = 17.64, p < 0.001; F3, 29 = 17.64, p < 0.01, respectively) and SRJ compared to S rats (F3, 29 = 17.64, p < 0.05), while alanine transaminase (ALT) was not different among the groups

Summary

Introduction

The adaptive response to stress is characterized by psychophysiological adaptations of an organism to restore homeostasis [1]. It is well documented that chronic restraint and cold stress effectively mimics physical and psychological stress [2], elevate metabolic rate and increase production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Physical and psychological stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the autonomic nervous system (ANS), increasing plasma glucocorticoid levels [3]. Increased corticosterone levels were observed in stress responses using the stress models, such as restraint and cold [2], immobilization [4], cold [5], cold water immersion [5], electric foot shock [6] and social isolation stress [7]. A metabolic byproduct of stress-induced increase in energy production is the formation of ROS [9] e.g. hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hydroxyl radicals (HOÁ) and superoxide anion radicals (O2–Á), which cause lipid peroxidation.

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