Abstract

EVALUATION OF PHARMACOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL MODULATION BY FREE RADICALS AND ANTI-OXIDANTS IN CHRONIC STRESS INDUCED INFLAMMATION AND IMMUNITY IN RATS

Giridhari Pal*, Jyotirmoyee Jena, Arunabha Ray

ABSTRACT

The modulation of immune system and disruption of homeostasis occurs by any external or internal stimulus which is known as stress. Therefore the present study was designed to evaluate the role of free radicals in stress induced modulation of immune and inflammatory response in rats. The results of the present study revealed that exposure to chronic restraint stress (RS 1hr/day x21 days) significantly suppressed total and differential WBC counts with changes in eosinophil and macrophages being consistent. Further, RS also suppressed cell-mediated immune responses in the delayed type hyper sensitivity (DTH) assay. The immunological changes were associated with increased MDA and reduced GSH levels in blood. Pretreatment with the antioxidant L-ascorbic acid (100and 200 mg/kg, i.p) attenuated the RS induced modulation in the markers of immunity and oxidative stress. Hence, these results emphasized the involvement of reactive oxygen species in stress-induced immunomodulation and inflammation as well as counteracting potential antioxidants in such aversive situations.

Keywords: WBC, WBC, MDA.