Effects of Lavender Aqueous Extract on the Levels of Oxidative Stress Markers in the Sera and Tissues from Male Sprague–Dawley Rats with Chronic Mild Stress Induced Depression

Oxidative stress is associated with the pathology of various neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety. The aim of the study was to examine the impacts of the lavender aqueous extract (LAE) on the levels of oxidative stress markers in an animal model with chronic mild stress induced depression.

36 adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were haphazardly split into 6 groups (n=6). Rats in the test groups were put through five weeks of chronic mild stress. The sucrose preference test (SPT) confirmed depressive-like behaviors in the rats. Rats in both unstressed and stressed control groups received LAE (200 or 400 mg / kg) and distilled water respectively. The specific activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), malondialdehyde (MDA) and as well as the total content of glutathione (GSH) were examined in the serum, liver and prefrontal cortex (PFC) using colorimetric assays.

  The stress group experienced a significantly decreased level of GSH, SOD, GR, Gpx and CAT, and a statistically considerable augment in MDA level in in the serum, PFC and liver p<0.05.  LAE at both doses significantly reversed the depression-caused oxidative stress markers in all the studied tissues. No significant difference was observed between the two used dosages of LAE.

LAE is able to ameliorate depression-induced pathology possibly through anti-oxidant activity.