Vitamin E has Protective Effects on Mice Adrenal Gland which are Exposed to Immobilization Stress

Abstract

Abstract Background To investigate the protective effect of vitamin E on mice adrenal glands in immobilization stress and to examine post-stress behavioral changes. Twenty-eight male, 10-week-old, BALB/C mice weighing 30 grams were divided into four groups. Mice were placed in a cage where no movement was allowed 6 hours/day for 7 days for immobilization stress. 0.1ml saline was administered to the control group and the stress group for 7 days, whereas 30 mg/kg/day vitamin E was administered orogastrically 1 hour before immobilization stress in the vitamin E and stress + vitamin E group. At the end of the 7th day, all animals were subjected to open field, elevated-plus maze (anxiety) and forced swimming (depression) tests. Left adrenal glands were dissected for routine paraffin tissue protocol. Sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Azan. Malonaldehyde (MDA) levels were also measured in the adrenal tissues. Results Anxiety symptoms were not significant between groups (0.582). Depression level (p = 0.024) and MDA values (p = 0.01) were the highest in the stress group, which was significantly higher than that of the vitamin E group. In the hematoxylin-eosin sections of the stress group, cortical atrophy, medullary hypertrophy, dilated capillaries, and hemorrhage were observed. Azan staining revealed a thinned capsule, cortical fibrosis, and intense fibrosis in the stress group. Histological structure was protected in the stress + vitamin E group, but dilatation and interstitial fibrosis were also detected. Conclusion Immobilization stress may cause some psychopharmacological, morphometric, and histopathologic changes in mouse adrenal glands, and vitamin E may largely protect the gland from these effects.