Effect of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) pretreatment on white noise-induced stress model in rats

BACKGROUND: Environmental noise is a non-specific stressor that can activate stress-response pathways and increase the production of reactive oxygen species, contributing to oxidative stress in the brain. Limbic regions such as the amygdala and hippocampus play key roles in stress processing and are particularly vulnerable to oxidative damage. Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) has been reported to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine whether ASA pretreatment provides protective effects against white noise-induced oxidative stress and inflammation, both systemically and in brain tissue. In the study, ALT (Alanine aminotransferase), creatinine, glucose, total protein, HDL (high-density lipoprotein), urea, uric acid, plasma albumin, cholesterol, and cortisol levels were measured from plasma samples. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) levels were measured as an antioxidant from brain tissue homogenates of the whole brain, cortex, cerebellum, amygdala, and hippocampus. interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-2, IL-6, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GMCSF), interferon gamma ( IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), IL-4 and IL-10 levels were measured from plasma samples. RESULTS: In the present study, it was found that the MDA level in the amygdala tissue was significantly lower in the animals in ASA + stress group which underwent ASA pretreatment compared to the other groups (p ≤ 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in MDA levels in the amygdala tissues of the other three groups. A significant decrease was observed in ASA control group. MDA values in cortex tissue compared to stress control group (p ≤ 0.05). There was no significant difference between the groups regarding MDA levels of other brain regions. When whole brain tissue homogenates were examined in the ASA pretreatment groups, a significant decrease was observed in the vitamin C levels of the animals in ASA + stress group compared to the other groups. (p ≤ 0.05).There was no statistically significant change in IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, GMCSF, IFN-γ, and IL-10 levels. It was observed that TNF-α levels increased in the groups given aspirin, and this increase was significant in ASA control group compared to stress control group (p ≤ 0.05). In the study, there was no significant change in plasma biochemical parameters ALT, creatinine, glucose, total protein, HDL, urea, and uric acid evaluations. However, plasma albumin levels were found to be higher than in control group (p ≤ 0.05). Plasma cholesterol levels were found to be decreased in stress control group compared to control group (p ≤ 0.05). When plasma cortisol levels were examined between the groups, a significant increase was observed in stress control group compared to control group (p ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that acetylsalicylic acid may influence selected oxidative stress-related parameters in specific brain regions following white noise exposure. However, the observed effects were limited and not consistent across all biochemical and inflammatory markers examined. Further studies are needed to clarify the optimal dose and duration of ASA treatment for controlling stress-related effects.