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The preventive role of Spirulina platensis (Arthrospira platensis) in immune and oxidative insults in a stress-induced rat model

Nilay Seyidoğlu

Nilay Seyidoğlu

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tekirdağ Namık Kemal UniversityTekirdağ, Turkey
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Seyidoğlu, Nilay
, 
Eda Köşeli

Eda Köşeli

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bursa Uludağ UniversityBursa, Turkey
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Köşeli, Eda
, 
Rovshan Gurbanlı

Rovshan Gurbanlı

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bursa Uludağ UniversityBursa, Turkey
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Gurbanlı, Rovshan
 and 
Cenk Aydın

Cenk Aydın

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bursa Uludağ UniversityBursa, Turkey
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Aydın, Cenk
  
Jun 08, 2021
The preventive role of Spirulina platensis (Arthrospira platensis) in immune and oxidative insults in a stress-induced rat model's Cover Image
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Published Online: Jun 08, 2021
Page range: 193 - 200
Received: Oct 23, 2020
Accepted: May 25, 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2021-0033
Keywords
© 2021 N. Seyidoğlu et al. published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Introduction

There is a balance between oxidative stress, antioxidant capacity and immune response. Their roles in physiological and behavioural mechanisms are important for the maintenance of the organism’s internal equilibrium. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant effects of the exogenous alga Spirulina platensis (Arthrospira platensis) in a stress-induced rat model, and to describe its possible mechanism of action.

Material and Methods

Thirty-six adult male Sprague Dawley rats were separated into four groups: control (C), stress (S), S. platensis (Sp), and S. platensis + stress (SpS). The rats in groups Sp and SpS were fed with 1,500 mg/kg b.w./day Spirulina platensis for 28 days. All rats were exposed to prolonged light phase conditions (18 h light : 6 h dark) for 14 days. The SpS and S groups were exposed to stress by being kept isolated and in a crowded environment. Blood samples were obtained by puncturing the heart on the 28th day. The effect of stress on serum corticosterone, oxidative stress markers (TOS, TAC, PON1, OSI) and immunological parameters (IL-2, IL-4, IFN-ɣ) were tested. Also, the brain, heart, intestines (duodenum, ileum, and colon), kidney, liver, spleen, and stomach of the rats were weighed.

Results

Serum corticosterone levels were higher in the S group than in the C group, and significantly lower in the SpS group than in the S group. Mean total antioxidant capacity were lower in the S group than in the C group, and Spirulina reversed this change. Although not significantly different, IL-2 was lower in the S group than in the C group. However, in the SpS group, IL-2 increased due to Spirulina platensis mitigating effects of stress.

Conclusion

Male rats fed a diet with Spirulina platensis could experience significantly milder physiological changes during stress, although stress patterns may be different. Exogenous antioxidant supplements merit further investigation in animals and humans where the endogenous defence mechanism against stress may not be sufficient.
Language:
English
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Journal Subjects:
Life Sciences, Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Virology, Life Sciences, other, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine
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