Vitamin B reversed anxiety and depression induced by adolescent nicotine withdrawal through alteration the inflammatory, oxidative and serotoninergic profiles in male rats.

BACKGROUND

The present study aims to assess the effect of vitamin B (Vit B) on depression-like behavior caused by nicotine (Nic) withdrawal, which is more likely due to the anxiogenic effect of Nic in adolescent male rats, through assessing behavioral and biochemical analysis.

METHODS

Adolescent male rats were divided into vehicle (received normal saline), and experimental groups that received Nic (2 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.)) for three consecutive weeks and after that, the group that received normal saline was divided into two groups, one of which returned to a regular diet, and the second one received Vit B (1.5 mg/kg). The Nic group was divided into five groups, one of which received bupropion (Bup, 20 mg/kg), three of which received different doses of Vit B (0.5, 1, and 1.5 mg/kg), and the last one returned to a normal diet without treatment, which was considered as the withdrawal period.

RESULTS

Behavioral analysis showed that Nic withdrawal induced anxiety and depression. Vit B and Bup reduced anxiety and depression induced by Nic withdrawal. The biochemical analysis demonstrated the more activity of oxidative stress factors and pro-inflammatory cytokines in which Nic was administered, whereas both Vit B and Bup reversed the results and improved the activity of both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory parameters. Furthermore, both serum and cortical Vit B levels dramatically decreased in nicotine group, whereas treatment with both Vit B and Bup as desirable treatments corrected Vit B levels.

CONCLUSION

According to the present findings, the results revealed that Vit B is comparable with Bup in attenuation of Nic withdrawal symptoms. In addition, both Bup and Vit B improved the decreased serum and cortical levels of Vit B, which caused by nicotine. Administration of Vit B in normal animals demonstrated better results in reducing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory parameters, which explores new hope to introduce Vit B as a novel antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent to treat not only withdrawal, but also other diseases related to the prominent role of oxidative stress or inflammatory pathways, such as Alzheimer's disease.