Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas) Fruit Extract Administration in Sleep Deprived Wistar Rats-Friend or Foe?

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Physiology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Supplement use is rising, but evidence for widespread health benefits remains limited.
• Exogenous antioxidants can have pro-oxidant effects influenced by dose, timing, and metal ions.
• The systemic impact of sleep deprivation (SD) on peripheral organs is less understood than its effects on the brain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of a Cornus mas (C. mas) fruit extract on peripheral organs in rats subjected to paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD).

Main Methods:

• Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control, C. mas (CM), sleep deprivation (SD), and sleep deprivation with C. mas (SD+CM).
• Rats underwent seven days of PSD.
• Ultrastructural and biochemical analyses were performed on liver, kidney, spleen, aorta, and testes.

Main Results:

• PSD induced liver injury and oxidative dysfunction across multiple organs (liver, kidney, spleen, aorta).
• PSD increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, including Interleukin-1β (testis), Interleukin-6 (liver), and Interleukin-4 (aorta).
• C. mas extract partially preserved liver ultrastructure but had limited effects on other organs, normalizing aortic GSSG but increasing lipid peroxidation.

Conclusions:

• Sleep deprivation has significant systemic effects, impacting multiple peripheral organs and inducing oxidative stress.
• The benefits of C. mas extract were organ-specific and limited, highlighting the complexity of antioxidant interventions.
• These findings caution against assuming uniform benefits of exogenous antioxidants in the context of sleep deprivation across different organ systems.