Adaptogenic potential of curcumin in experimental chronic stress and chronic unpredictable stress-induced memory deficits and alterations in functional homeostasis

Abstract

The present study was designed to investigate the role of curcumin in chronic stress and chronic unpredictable stress-induced memory deficits and alteration of functional homeostasis in mice. Chronic stress was induced by immobilizing the animal for 2 h daily for 10 days, whereas chronic unpredictable stress was induced by employing a battery of stressors of variable magnitude and time for 10 days. Curcumin was administered to drug-treated mice prior to induction of stress. Body weight, adrenal gland weight, ulcer index and biochemical levels of glucose, creatine kinase, cholesterol, corticosterone, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were evaluated to assess stress-induced functional changes. Memory deficits were evaluated using the elevated plus maze (EPM) model. Chronic stress and chronic unpredictable stress significantly increased the levels of corticosterone, glucose and creatine kinase and decreased cholesterol levels. Moreover, chronic stress and chronic unpredictable stress resulted in severe memory deficits along with adrenal hypertrophy, weight loss and gastric ulceration. Chronic stress and chronic unpredictable stress also increased oxidative stress assessed in terms of increase in TBARS and decrease in GSH levels. Pretreatment with curcumin (25 and 50 mg/kg p.o.) attenuated chronic stress and chronic unpredictable stress-associated memory deficits, biochemical alterations, pathological outcomes and oxidative stress. It may be concluded that curcumin-mediated antioxidant actions and decrease in corticosterone secretion are responsible for its adaptogenic and memory restorative actions in chronic and chronic unpredictable stress.

Exercise-Associated Changes in the Corticosterone Response to Acute Restraint Stress: Evidence for Increased Adrenal Sensitivity and Reduced Corticosterone Response Duration

“…There were no differences in thymus weights between running and sedentary mice (Figure 3b). These findings are consistent with the results of others in demonstrating that wheel running in C57BL/6J mice produces adrenal enlargement consistent with HPAaxis activation (Droste et al, 2003) without the thymal involution typically observed alongside adrenal enlargement in stressed animals (Bhatia et al, 2011;Kour and Bani, 2011;Réus et al, 2012).…”

Changes of testicular phosphorylated proteins in response to restraint stress in male rats

“…To additionally clarify the decreased testosterone levels, the disturbances of other steroidogenic machineries such as cytochrome P-450 cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzymes, * P<0.05, compared with the control group scavenger receptor class B, and hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases need to be further investigated. In various studies, the increase of malondialdehyde levels and the decrease of enzymatic activities of catalase, glutathione, and superoxide dismutase have been demonstrated in stress testicular tissue (Zayachkivska et al, 2006;Brzozowski et al, 2008;Bhatia et al, 2011;Warzecha et al, 2011;Kwiecien et al, 2012;Hari Priya and Sreenivasula Reddy, 2012;Xu et al, 2014). The alteration of oxidative stress markers might affect normal spermatogenesis, resulting in decreased sperm concentration (Table 1 and Fig.…”

“…Indeed, the corticosterone levels are markedly elevated under a restraint immobilization condition (Bhatia et al, 2011;Prabsattroo et al, 2015). Corroborated with the decrease of testosterone levels, Lin et al (2014) demonstrated that stress could decrease the expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein and the cytochrome P450 side chain cleavage enzyme (CYP11A1) in rat Leydig cells after acute immobilization stress induction.…”

Mechanisms of the Protective Effects of Curcumin against Indomethacin-Induced Gastric Ulcer in Rats

“…suspended in 0.5% aqueous solution of carboxymethyl cellulose 30 min before induction of ulcer. The dose was selected based on our preliminary experiments and the findings of Bhatia et al [14]. All groups received equivalent volumes of the above-mentioned vehicles.…”