Biochemical Effect of Vitamin C on Sleep-Deprived Wistar Rats

Sleep deprivation is a major public health concern associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, metabolic disturbances, and neurological dysfunction. This study evaluated the biochemical effects of vitamin C supplementation in sleep-deprived Wistar rats. Twenty adult male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control, partial sleep deprivation (PSD) + vitamin C, total sleep deprivation (TSD) + vitamin C, and untreated TSD. Sleep deprivation was induced using the modified multiple-platform method, while vitamin C (100 mg/kg/day) was administered orally. Biochemical parameters including glucose, cortisol, reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidant enzymes, inflammatory markers, neurotransmitters, and brain histopathology were assessed. Results showed that sleep deprivation significantly increased glucose, cortisol, ROS, MDA, inflammatory cytokines, DNA fragmentation, and neuronal damage while reducing antioxidant defenses and neurotransmitter levels. Vitamin C supplementation significantly reversed these alterations by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation and improving antioxidant status and neuronal integrity. The study concludes that vitamin C possesses protective antioxidant and neuroprotective properties against sleep deprivation-induced biochemical disturbances.