Pharmacological and biochemical studies on the protective effects of melatonin during stress-induced behavioral and immunological changes in relation to oxidative stress in rats

Stress is known to precipitate neuropsychiatric diseases and depending upon its nature and intensity it can also influence functioning of the immune system. Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxy tryptamine) a pineal gland hormone and potent antioxidant is known to protect many diseases. Effect of melatonin in stress-induced neuro-immunomodulation is not well elucidated. Therefore in the present study protective effects of melatonin were evaluated in restraint stress (RS)-induced behavioral and immunological changes in rats. RS for 1hr. significantly reduces a) % open-arm entries b) % time spent on open-arm in elevated plus maze (EPM) test parameters (pThe accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author