Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) oil during pregnancy and lactation influences brain excitability and cortex oxidative status in the rat offspring

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate how safflower oil (SFO) influences brain electrophysiology and cortical oxidative status in the offspring, mothers received a diet with SFO during brain development period.

Methods: Beginning on the 14th day of gestation and throughout lactation, rats received safflower (safflower group – SG) or soybean oil (control group – CG) in their diet. At 65 days old, cortical spreading depression (CSD) and cortex oxidative status were analyzed in the offspring.

Results: SG presented reduction of the CSD velocity as compared to the CG (SG: 3.24 ± 0.09; CG: 3.37 ± 0.07 mm/min). SFO reduced levels of lipid peroxidation by 39.4%. SG showed the following increases: glutathione-S-transferase, 40.8% and reduced glutathione, 34.3%. However, SFO decreased superoxide dismutase by 40.4% and catalase by 64.1%. To control for interhemispheric effects, since CSD was recorded only in the right cortex, we evaluated the oxidative status in both sides of the cortex; no differences were observed.

Discussion: Data show that when SFO is consumed by the female rats during pregnancy and lactation, the offspring present long-term effects on brain electrophysiology and cortical oxidative state. The present study highlights the relevance of understanding the SFO intake of pregnant and lactating mammals.

Keywords:

• Safflower oil
• Brain development
• Cortical spreading depression
• Brain oxidative state

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the CNPq (National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development MCTI/CNPq/Universal 2014/APQ 444500/2014-6) and FACEPE (Foundation to Support Science and Research from Pernambuco State – Brazil, APQ 1026.4-09/12). The authors are thankful to Professor Marta Suelly Madruga for the analysis of the fatty acid profiles of the oils. The authors are thankful to Jessica McGlone-White, Master of Science in Special Education, for her suggestions and reviewing the English version of the text.

Disclaimer statements

Contributors None.

Funding CNPq provided grants to fund this work and the scholarship to PFCM.

Conflicts of interest None.

Ethics approval All experiments were approved (CEUA 0407/13).

ORCID

Andréia Albuquerque Cunha Lopes-de-Morais http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9351-2552