title: A combination of plant-derived odors reduces corticosterone and oxidative indicators of stress.
abstract: In this study, we measured typical stress markers in addition to oxidative status and reduced glutathione in erythrocytes, and plasma lipid peroxidation of restraint-stressed animals exposed to a combination of plant-derived odors (0.03% Z-3-hexen-1-ol, 0.03% E-2-hexenal, and 0.015% α-pinene in triethyl citrate). Male Wistar rats aged 6-7 weeks postnatal were exposed to vehicle (triethyl citrate, n = 12), plant-derived odors (n = 12), or 1% propionic acid odor (n = 12) under control or stress conditions, and blood samples were collected. Restraint stress increased plasma glucose and plasma corticosterone concentrations by approximately 10% (P < 0.01) and 125% (P < 0.001), respectively, in vehicle-exposed animals. Similar increases were observed in animals exposed to a 1% propionic acid odor, indicating the novelty of odor exposure does not alter stress responsiveness. There was also an increase of approximately 15% in both erythrocytic oxidative status (P < 0.001) and plasma lipid peroxidation (P < 0.05), and a decrease of approximately the same magnitude in reduced glutathione (P < 0.05) in restrained animals with vehicle exposure. There were no differences observed between control and stress treatment with plant-derived odor exposure in any of the measured parameters. It was concluded that exposure to plant-derived odors reduce corticosterone, glucose, and redox responses elicited by psychological stress.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Jereme G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Spiers
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Hsiao-Jou Cortina
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Conrad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sernia
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia lavidis@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Nickolas A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Lavidis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D003345:Corticosterone
keywords: acute restraint stress; lipid peroxidation; oxidative stress; reactive oxygen species; redox status; reduced glutathione