The effects of propolis on the damage caused by alcohol in the brain areas related to learning and memory

8. SUMMARYTHE EFFECTS OF PROPOLİS ON THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY ALCOHOL İNTHE BRAİN AREAS RELATED TO LEARNİNG AND MEMORY.Oxidative stres resulting from free radicals and acetaldehydes emerging from alcoholmetabolisation supresse learning and memory, causing oxidative damage in the learningand memory areas of the brain.Because it includes flavonoids, propolis is a strong antioxidant. In our study, we aimed toinvestigated the protective roles of propolis on the damage produced by alcohol in thelearning and memory areas.Adult Wistar-albino rats were divided into four groups (n=8). Alcohol groups receivedliquid diet with alcohol in gradually increasing concentrations (%2,4- %7,2 V/V). Inpropolis groups, 150 mg/kg of propolis was added to the diet. In control groups, alcoholfree but including equal energy with the other groups diet was applied. During the study,the amount of food and weight changes were recorded.In order to test the short term memory and learning capacity before the study, after thestudy and the day before chancing the alcohol concentration.T-maze test was applied to the groups. At the end of the study, the rats were sacrificedand SOD,CAT,GSH-Px activities and TBARS and Nitrat/nitrit levels of the rats?cerebellum, hippocampus and cerebral cortex were compared.When comparing baseline latency, avoidance trials 1, avoidancce trials 2 and escape trialsperiods of the rats we found no difference between the control and propolis group (P>0,05);T-maze values of alcohol groups were decreased after the eleventh day of the study. Whencompared with control and propolis group (P<0,05); the values of propolis+alcohol groupswere higher than the alcohol and lower than the conrol and propolis groups, but thesevalues were statistically significant on the eleventh and thirtieth days of the study (P<0,05).The SOD and GSH-Px activities of the hippocampus and cortex of the propolis groupswas significantly increased when SOD, GSHP-x activities of hippocampus, cerebral cortexand cerebellum of the groups were compered, the enzyme activitiy of the alcohol groupwas lower than the propolis and the control groups but lower than the propolis+alkolgroups. While the enzyme activities of the hippocampus and cerebral cortex werestatisticaly significant, the changes in the enzyme activities of the cerebellum wasmeaningless.As a results, we concluded thad propolis has a strong antioxidant property, alcohol withincreasing concentration has a damaging effect on learning due to oxidative stres and theantioxidant properties of propolis improve the negative effects of alcohol.Key Wors: Alcohol, Hippocampus, Propolis, T-mzae, Anioxidant enzymes.