Effect of vitamin C treatment on some central nervous system functions in young rats whose mothers treated with hydrogen peroxide during the lactation period

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of vitamin on young rats whose mothers exposed to 1% hydrogen peroxide in drinking water during the lactation period on the function of the nervous system. The study consisted of three groups, Control group, hydrogen peroxide group, vitamin C with hydrogen peroxide group, showed that treatment with hydrogen peroxide for mothers led to significant decrease in the weights of young-rats-age21 days and significant increase in the righting reflex test, cliff avoidance and the olfactory discrimination test in young rats at age of week and also in the onset movement test and at the time of negative geotaxis test in-young-rats age21days. Treatment of mothers with hydrogen peroxide caused significant decrease in open-field activity and number of times standing on backlists during 3minutes and in the approach response, touch and sound of young rats at age 21 days. While, hydrogen peroxide treated group resulted in significant increase in time of negative geotaxis test and hydrogen peroxide had no effect on response of tail pinch as compared to other groups. When treating mothers with vitamin C significant increase in weights of youngsters age21days, as well as in onset of movement test and in number of squares cutoff within 3minutes in open-field activity and number of times standing on backlists during 3minutes in young-rats age 21 days. Also there was significant decrease in righting reflex test, olfactory distinction and negative geotaxis test compared to hydrogen peroxide treated group. It was concluded from the study that vitamin C plays an important role as an antioxidant by improving the nervous system function in young rats their mothers exposed to with hydrogen peroxide in drinking water.

Keywords

• hydrogen peroxide
• nervous system
• oxidative stress
• rats
• vitamin c