Vitamin C Supplementation Alleviates Electroshock Stress but not Restraint Stress in ICR Mice

• Published in: Food science and biotechnology 2010, Vol.19 (1), p.137-144
• Main Authors: Choi, Ji-Young, Choi, Yoon-Jung, Pena, Ike Campomayor Dela, Yoon, Seo-Young, Lee, Geum-Seon, Shin, Chan-Young, Ryu, Jong-Hoon, Yu, Gu-Yong, Cheong, Jae-Hoon
• Format: Article
• Language: Korean
• ISSN: 1226-7708; 2092-6456

The aim of this study was to investigate what kind of stress vitamin C could alleviate. Experiments were performed using male ICR mice. Vitamin C (1, 5, 25, and 100 mg/kg) was administered orally daily for 7 days without stress and then were given for 5 days with electroshock (ES) or restraint stress (RS). After loading final stress, we recorded stress-related behaviors and measured the levels of blood corticosterone. Vitamin C supplementation (25 and 100 mg/kg) partially blocked stress-related behaviors such as freezing, smelling, burrowing, facewashing, and grooming. It decreased also staying time in closed arms. Stress responses induced by ES but not immobility were also significantly alleviated by vitamin C. Vitamin C (25 and 100 mg/kg) decreased corticosterone level increased by ES. Swimming time in cold water ($8{\pm}2^{\circ}C$) was not changed by vitamin C, but crossing frequency in the electric field was increased by vitamin C (25 mg/kg). These results suggest that vitamin C supplementation can prevent damages or diseases induced by stress, especially psychological stress.