Protective Effects of Hibiscus Sabdariffa and Melatonin on Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in the Offspring of Prenatally Stressed Wistar Rats
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Abstract
Prenatal stress is a significant factor capable of disrupting endocrine homeostasis and inducing long-term physiological alterations in offspring through fetal programming mechanisms. This study investigated the effects of aqueous calyx extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) and melatonin on oxidative stress markers in the offspring of stress-exposed pregnant Wistar rats. Pregnant rats were randomly assigned into five groups (n = 8): non-stress with vehicle (NSV), stress with vehicle (SV), stress with HS (SHS), stress with melatonin (SM), and stress with a combination of HS and melatonin (SHSM). From gestational day 7 to 21, animals in stress groups were subjected to restraint stress for one hour daily. HS and melatonin (10 mg/kg each) were administered orally during the stress period. Three weeks after parturition, activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase) and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were assessed in the offspring.
Offspring of stressed dams showed significantly reduced antioxidant enzyme activities and elevated MDA levels compared with the non-stressed group (P < 0.0001). Administration of HS or melatonin significantly reversed these stress-induced alterations. Combined treatment (HS + melatonin) produced greater improvement in antioxidant status than either treatment alone, suggesting additive protective effects.
These findings demonstrate that prenatal stress disrupts oxidative balance in offspring, while Hibiscus sabdariffa and melatonin mitigate these effects. Combined administration of both agents exerts synergistic protective effects, likely through complementary mechanisms involving modulation of lipid peroxidation and enhancement of antioxidant defenses.
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