Effects of anthocyanins on psychological stress-induced oxidative stress and neurotransmitter status.

There is strong evidence that oxidative stress participates in the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's diseases. Moreover, emotional stress effects in the central nervous system play a vital role in homeostasis. The protective effect of anthocyanins on the cerebral oxidative stress was studied using the whiskers cut model. In mice, such treatment causes psychological or emotional distress leading to oxidative stress in tissues. To investigate the in vivo antioxidant activity of anthocyanins, an extract of Vaccinium myrtillis L., an anthocyanin mixture, was orally administered (100 mg/kg of body weight.) to mice for 7 days, and then psychological stress was assessed by cutting off their whiskers. Whisker removal increased both protein carbonyl formation and lipid peroxidation in the brain, heart, kidney, and liver. Further, the levels of oxidative markers showed regional differences in the brain. Concomitantly, dopamine neurotransmitter levels were altered in both the midbrain and the brain cortex. Orally administered anthocyanins were also active in the brain, suppressing stress-induced cerebral oxidative stress and dopamine abnormalities in distressed mice. These effects of anthocyanin treatment suggest their possible usefulness for the treatment of cerebral disorders related to oxidative stress.