Abstract In Depression is an epidemic disease of today’s life and, is one of the most important social problems that increases each year. Chronic stress-depression causes increased lipid peroxidation, release of free radicals, and hormonal imbalance. The protective properties of propolis, known as an antioxidant, on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) and its toxic effect in vivo formed the basis of our research. Four experimental groups were formed from Wistar Albino male rats: control, propolis, stress and stress + propolis. Various stressors were applied for 35 days to create a CUMS model. Propolis was given orally once a day for 35 days (100 mg / kg). Advanced oxidation products of protein, ferric reducing antioxidant power, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, glutathione, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and cortisol (CORT) levels were examined in serum, kidney, and liver of experimental groups. In addition, ACTH and CORT stress hormone levels decreased with propolis in serum. It was observed that the induction of oxidative stress and the increase in stress hormones due to CUMS, decreased with propolis treatment. Our results show that propolis exhibits an antioxidant and hormone stabilizing potential, both protective against oxidative damage and regulating hormonal activity in depressed rats.
Keywords Chronic unpredictable mild stress, propolis, oxidative stress, adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol.