Propolis increases neuronal count in hippocampal area CA1 and prefrontal cortex in stressed rats

Main Article Content

Kuswati Nugroho
Ety Sari Handayani
Zainuri Sabta Nugraha

Abstract

Background
Stress induces neuronal cell damage in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Propolis has a neuroprotective effect that can inhibit apoptosis and decrease neuronal cell count. This study aimed to determine the effect of propolis on neuronal cell count in hippocampal area CA1 and prefrontal cortex in Sprague Dawley rats with induced stress.

Methods
A study of laboratory experimental design was conducted involving 24 male Sprague-Dawley Rattus norvegicus. The animals were randomly divided into 4 groups, i.e. controls (K), and stress groups P1, P2 and P3. Controls did not receive treatment, stress group (P1) received stress treatment, groups P2 and P3 received stress and propolis at 100 and 200 mg/kgBW, respectively. Stress and propolis were given for 14 days, followed by termination. The number of neurons in the hippocampal area CA1 and prefrontal cortex were counted. One way ANOVA was used to analyze the data.

Results
The neuronal count in the hippocampal area CA1 and prefrontal cortex in the stress group (P1) was lower than in groups K, P2 and P3. There were significant differences in the neuronal count of the hippocampal area CA1 between P1 and P3 and P1 and K (p=0.019) and also in the neuronal count of the prefrontal cortex between P1 and P2, P3 and K (p=0.002).

Conclusions
This study strongly suggest that propolis inhibits the decrease in neuronal count in in the hippocampal area CA1 and prefrontal cortex of Sprague Dawley rats with induced stress. The present study suggests a potential neuroprotective effect of propolis in the prevention of neurodegenerative disorders.

Article Details

How to Cite
Nugroho, K., Handayani, E. S., & Nugraha, Z. S. (2017). Propolis increases neuronal count in hippocampal area CA1 and prefrontal cortex in stressed rats. Universa Medicina, 36(3), 214–220. https://doi.org/10.18051/UnivMed.2017.v36.214-220
Section
Original Articles

References

Kim EJ, Pellman B, Kim JJ. Stress effects on the hippocampus: a critical review. Learn Mem 2015;22:411–6.

Fitranto A, Soejono SK, Maurits LS, et al. Jumlah sel piramidal CA3 hippocampus tikus putih jantan pada berbagai model stres kerja kronik. MKB 2014;46:197-202.

Hemmalini, Rao S. Anti stress effect of Centella asiatica leaf extract on hippocampal CA3 neurons - a quantitative study. Int J Pharmacol Clin Sci 2013;2:25-32.

Hidalgo ACS, Munoz MF, Herrera AJ, et al. Chronic stress alters the expression levels of longevity-related genes in the rat hippocampus. Neurochem Int 2016;97:181-92.

Arnsten AFT. Stress signalling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function. Nat Rev Neurosci 2009;10:410–22.

Kuswati, Prakosa D, Wasita B, et al. Centella asiatica increases B-cell lymphoma 2 in rat prefrontal cortex. Univ Med 2015;34:10-6.

Priyantiningrum AK, Kuswati, Handayani ES. Pengaruh ekstrak etanol Centella asiatica terhadap jumlah sel neuron di cortex prefrontalis tikus yang diberi perlakuan stres. JKKI 2015;6:198-204.

Filipovic D, Zlatkovic J, Inta D, et al. Chronic isolation stress predisposes the frontal cortex but not the hippocampus to the potentially detrimental release of cytochrome c from mitochondria and the activation of caspase-3. J Neurosci Res 2011;89:1461-70.

Li Y, Han F, Shi Y. Increased neuronal apoptosis in medial prefrontal cortex is accompanied with changes of Bcl-2 and Bax in a rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder. J Mol Neurosci 2013;51:127-37.

Bachis A, Cruz MI, Nosheny, RL, et al. Chronic unpredictable stress promotes neuronal apoptosis in the cerebral cortex. Neurosci Lett 2008;442: 104-8.

Djorjevic A, Adzic M, Djorjevic J, et al. Chronic social isolation suppresses proplastic response and promotes proapoptotic signaling in prefrontal cortex of wistar rats. J. Neurosci Res 2010;88:2524-33.

Djorjevic A, Djorjevic J, Elakovic I, et al. Effect of fluoxetine on plasticity and apoptosis evoked by chronic stress in rat prefrontal cortex. Eur J Pharmacol 2012;693:37-44.

Cao M, Pu T, Wang L, et al. Early enriched physical environment reverses impairments of the hippocampus, but not medial prefrontal cortex of socially-isolated mice. Brain Behav Immun 2017;64:232-3.

de Menezes da Silveira CCS, Fernandes LMP, Silva ML, et al. Neurobehavioral and antioxidant effects of ethanolic extract of yellow propolis. Oxidative Med Cell Longevity 2016, Article ID 2906953, 14 pages.

Fontanilla CV, Ma Z, Wei X, et al. Caffeic acid phenethylester prevents 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced neurodegeneration. Neuroscience 2011;188:135–41.

Han J, Miyamae Y, Shigemori H, et al. Neuroprotective effect of 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid on SH-SY5Y cells and senescence-accelerated-prone mice 8 through the up-regulation of phosphoglycerate kinase-1. Neuroscience 2010;169:1039–45.

Izuta H, Shimazawa M, Tazawa S, et al. Protective effects of Chinese propolis and its component, chrysin, against neuronal cell death via inhibition of mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in SH-SY5Y cells. J Agrict Food Chem 2008;56:8944-53.

Jeong CH, Jeong HR, Kim DO, et al. Phenolics of propolis and in vitro protective effects against oxidative stress induced cytotoxicity. J Agric Life Sci 2012;46:87-95.

Kure C, Timmer J, Stough C. The immunomodulatory effects of plant extracts and plant secondary metabolites on chronic neuroinflammation and cognitive aging: a mechanistic and empirical review. Front Pharmacol 2017;8:117.

Saad MA, Abdel Salam RM, Kenawy SA, Attia AS. Pinocembrin attenuates hippocampal inflammation, oxidative perturbations and apoptosis in a rat model of global cerebral ischemia reperfusion. Pharmacol Rep 2015;67:115–22.

He XL, Wang YH, Bi MG, et al. Chrysin improves cognitive deficits and brain damage induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in rats. Eur J Pharmacol 2012;680:41–8.

Charan J, Biswas T. How to calculate sample size for different study designs in medical research? Indian J Psychol Med 2013;35:121–6.

Lee MS, Kim YH, Park WS. Novel antidepressant-like activity of propolis extract mediated by enhanced glucocorticoid receptor function in the hippocampus. Evidence-Based Complementary Altern Med 2013, Article ID 646039, 10 pages.

Zlatkovic J, Filipovic D. Bax and B-cell-lymphoma 2 mediate proapoptotic signaling following chronic isolation stress in rat brain. Neuroscience 2012;223:238-45.

Alkis HE, Kuzhan A, Dirier A, et al. Neuroprotective effects of propolis and caffeic acid phenethyl ester on the radiation-injured brain tissue. Intern J Radiat Res 2015;3:297-303.

Reis JSS, Oliveira GB, Monteiro MC, et al. Antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like activities of an oil extract of propolis in rats. Phytomedicine 2014;21:466–72.

Chen J, Long Y, Han M, et al. Water-soluble derivative of propolis mitigates scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment in mice. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2008;90:441–6.

Bhadauria M. Combined treatment of HEDTA and propolis prevents aluminum induced toxicity in rats. Food Chem Toxicol 2012;50:2487–95.

Cardoso SM, Ribeiro M, Ferreira IL, et al. Northeast Portuguese propolis protects against staurosporine and hydrogen peroxide-induced neurotoxicity in primary cortical neurons. Food Chem Toxicol 2011;49:2862–68.

El-Masry TA, Emara AM, Shitany NA. Possible protective effect of propolis against lead induced neurotoxicity in animal model. J Evol Biol Res 2011;3: 4-11.

Huang Y, Jin M, Pi R, et al. Protective effects of caffeic acid and caffeic acid phenethyl ester against acrolein-induced neurotoxicity in HT22 mouse hippocampal cells. Neurosci Lett 2013;535:146–51.

Nabavi SF, Braidy N, Habtemariam S, et al. Neuroprotective effects of chrysin: from chemistry to medicine. Neurochem Int 2015;90:224-31.