Effect of aronia melanocarpa fruit juice on reserpine-induced hypokinesia and oxydative stress in rats

INTRODUCTION: Reserpine can cause hypokinesia due to depletion of monoamine stores in the central nervous system. PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to investigate in the effects of Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice (AMFJ) on reserpine-induced hypokinesia and oxidative stress in male Wistar rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Reserpine was applied as a single intraperitoneal dose of 6 mg/kg (as a 0.3% solution in 5% DMSO, 2 ml/kg) and comparisons were made with the control group injected intraperitoneally with 5% DMSO (2 ml/kg). AMFJ was applied orally at doses of 2.5 ml/kg, 5 ml/kg and 10 ml/kg three times (on the 0th, 19th and 23rd hour) after reserpine administration while the control group received distilled water (10 ml/kg) at the same time points. The open field test (OFT) was used for investigation of locomotor activity. Oxidative stress was evaluated by the concentration of thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS) in rat brain. RESULTS: Reserpine induced a significant reduction (p<0.001) in both horizontal and vertical locomotor activity of rats. Brain TBARS in reserpine-treated animals were significantly higher (p<0.05) in comparison with those of the control rats which indicated that reserpine induced oxidative stress. AMFJ caused a non-significant increase in locomotor activity of reserpine-treated rats. The concentration of TBARS in the brains of rats treated with AMFJ after reserpine did not differ significantly from the control level. CONCLUSION: AMFJ prevented reserpine-induced oxidative stress and partly antagonized the effect of reserpine on locomotor activity of rats.