Effects of Eucalyptus alba (Myrtaceae) Extracts in Maternal Stress Treatment During Gestation on Immune Responses, Cytokines, and Brain Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Wistar Rat Litters

Background Prenatal stress experienced by pregnant individuals adversely affects offspring’s health. This study investigated the effects of the administration of Eucalyptus alba ( E. alba ) extracts during pregnancy on prenatal stress‐induced neural oxidative stress and downregulation of immune response in rat neonates. Materials and Methods Forty‐five pregnant albino rats were divided into nine groups, each consisting of five animals. Group 1 (normal) served as the control group; they were neither exposed to stress nor given any treatment. Group 2 (vehicle) was subjected to stress and administered 5 mL/kg of distilled water orally via gavage. Group 3 (positive control) was also stressed and treated with 1 mg/kg of diazepam intramuscularly every 24 h. Groups 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 were stressed and received either 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg of aqueous or ethanol plant extracts orally via gavage until delivery. Twenty‐one days after birth, the offspring were sacrificed to assess serum cytokine levels, humoral and cell‐mediated immune responses, and the total antioxidant activity of the plant extracts. Results The vehicle control group exhibited increased inflammatory cytokine levels (NO, IL‐1beta, IL‐6, and TNF‐alpha), which were significantly reduced by E. alba extracts ( p < 0.001). E. alba extracts mitigated the decrease in spleen index and hemagglutination (HA) titer, as well as the increased hypersensitivity observed in the vehicle control group; increased lymphocyte percentage ( p < 0.05); and reversed the decreases in NEU, MID, and TWBC observed in the vehicle control group. Notably, antioxidant level improved with the reductions in CAT and TBARS and increases in SOD and GSH ( p < 0.001). Histopathological analysis revealed less severe damage in the spleen and external ear structures of rats treated with E. alba compared to the vehicle control group. Conclusion The findings of this study demonstrate that the use of E. alba extracts during pregnancy prevents immunological dysregulation and oxidative stress in the nervous system caused by prenatal stress.