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Updated: Sep 4, 2025
Behavioral Approaches to Studying Innate Stress in Zebrafish
Published on: May 1, 2019
Non-micronized and micronized curcumin do not prevent the behavioral and neurochemical effects induced by acute
Adrieli Sachett1, Matheus Gallas-Lopes2, Radharani Benvenutti1
1Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Background:
Curcumin, a polyphenol extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae), presents neuroprotective properties and can modulate neuronal pathways related to mental disorders. However, curcumin has low bioavailability, which can compromise its use. The micronization process can reduce mean particle diameter and improve this compound's bioavailability and therapeutic potential.
Methods:
We compared the behavioral (open tank test, OTT) and neurochemical (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and non-protein thiols (NPSH) levels) effects of non-micronized curcumin (CUR, 10 mg/kg, ip) and micronized curcumin (MC, 10 mg/kg, ip) in adult zebrafish subjected to a 90-min acute restraint stress (ARS) protocol.
Results:
ARS increased the time spent in the central area and the number of crossings and decreased the immobility time of the animals in the OTT. These results suggest an increase in locomotor activity and a decrease in thigmotaxis behavior. Both CUR and MC were not able to prevent these effects. Furthermore, ARS also induced oxidative damage by increasing TBARS and decreasing NPSH levels. Both CUR and MC did not prevent these effects.
Conclusion:
ARS-induced behavioral and biochemical effects were not blocked by any curcumin preparation. Therefore, we conclude that curcumin does not have acute anti-stress effects in zebrafish.
