Royal jelly decreases corticosterone levels and improves the brain antioxidant system in restraint and cold stressed rats.

Restraint and cold stress induces the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to release corticosterone from the adrenal gland, which can worsen the antioxidant defense system in the central nervous system. Here, we investigated the corticosterone levels and the antioxidant defense system in the cerebellum and brain, as well as in its isolated regions, such as cerebral cortex, striatum and hippocampus of stressed rats supplemented with royal jelly (RJ). Wistar rats were supplemented with RJ for 14days and the stress induction started on the 7th day. Stressed rats increased corticosterone levels, glycemia and lipid peroxidation in the brain and cerebellum, cerebral cortex and hippocampus besides reduced glutathione defense system in the brain and striatum. Rats supplemented with RJ decreased corticosterone, maintained glycemia and decreased lipid peroxidation in the brain, cerebellum, as well as striatum and hippocampus, besides improved glutathione defense system in cerebral cortex and striatum. This study suggests an anti-stress and neuroprotective effect of RJ under stress conditions.