Buspirone along with melatonin attenuates oxidative damage and anxiety-like behavior in a mouse model of immobilization stress

AIM:Stress is recognized to precipitate anxiety and related psychological problems characterized by a wide range of biochemical and behavioral changes.The present study was carried out to investigate the protective effects of melatonin and buspirone,and their combination,against six hours immobilization stress-induced,anxiety-like behavioral and oxidative damage in mice.METHOD:Male Laca mice were pre-treated with melatonin(2.5,5 mgkg-1),buspirone(5,10 mgkg-1),and their combination for consecutive five days.On the 6th day,animals were immobilized for six hours,and thereafter various behavioral tests were performed followed by biochemical tests.RESULTS:Immobilization stress significantly impaired body weight,locomotor activity,and caused anxiety-like behavior,along with increased oxidative damage.Pretreatment with melatonin and buspirone significantly improved the loss in body weight and locomotor activity,attenuated anxiety-like behavior(in both the mirror chamber and plus maze performance tasks),further restored the levels of brain total proteins,and caused antioxidant-like effects,as evidenced by reduced lipid peroxidation,nitrite concentration,and restoration of reduced glutathione and catalase activity,as compared to control animals.In addition,combination of melatonin(2.5,5 mgkg-1) with buspirone(5 mgkg-1) significantly potentiated their protective effects,as compared to their effects individually.CONCLUSION:The present study suggests that melatonin potentiates the beneficial effect of buspirone against immobilization stress-induced,anxiety-like behavioral and oxidative damage in mice possibly by involving a serotonergic mechanism.