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«IZVESTIYA IRKUTSKOGO GOSUDARSTVENNOGO UNIVERSITETA». SERIYA «BIOLOGIYA. ECOLOGIYA»
«THE BULLETIN OF IRKUTSK STATE UNIVERSITY». SERIES «BIOLOGY. ECOLOGY»
ISSN 2073-3372 (Print)

List of issues > Series «Biology. Ecology». 2025. Vol 52

Modulating Effect of Oxytocin on Stress Response in Rats

Author(s)

Yu. V. Kashina, I. L. Cherednik, A. A. Bakhova, Ye. I. Panchenko, Ye. A. Leonova, A. A. Verevkin, K. A. Popov, Yu. O. Kashina, V. V. Kotov

Kuban State Medical University, Krasnodar, Russian Federation

Abstract
The purpose of our study is to determine the effect of oxytocin on stress marker organs and the level of cortisol in the blood of rats after stress exposure. The study was conducted on 70 white male Wistar rats. The rats were placed in individual chambers and subjected to immobilization stress. Before fixation in the chambers, group B animals were injected intranasally with saline; group C-oxytocin. Extraction of organs-markers of stress and analysis of blood cortisol level were performed. Spleen weight in groups receiving physiological solution decreased as follows: in group B-1 – by 19.8% (p = 0.075), B-2 – by 20.3% (p ˂ 0.001) and B-3 – by 21.9% (p ˂ 0.001). In groups receiving oxytocin statistically significant differences with control group were not revealed (p = 0.748). The relative adrenal mass in rats in groups B-1, B-2 and C-1, C-2 did not differ statistically significantly from the control group A, but in group B-3 the analyzed parameter increased by 21.4% (p = 0.011). In group C-3 the adrenal mass increased by only 10.7% (p = 0.012) compared to group A. The values of the relative spleen mass in groups B-1, B-2 and B-3 were statistically significantly lower than the values obtained in groups C-1, C-2 and C-3 (p < 0.001). For the relative weight of the adrenal glands, no statistically significant differences were found in groups B-1 and C-1 (p = 0.971), B-2 and C-2 (p = 0.19), whereas for group B-3 this indicator was statistically significantly higher than in group C-3 (p < 0.001). After 24-hour immobilization stress, the spleen weight in groups B2 and B-3 statistically significantly decreased in rats given saline (p ˂ 0.001). In groups C-1, C-2, C3, no statistically significant differences with the control group were observed. A statistically significant increase in the relative weight of the adrenal glands was observed in groups B-3 (p = 0.011) and C-3 (p = 0.012). When analyzing the cortisol level in the experimental groups, it was found that the intranasal administration of oxytocin before 24-hour immobilization exposure helps eliminate deviations in this indicator in the blood of rats. The results obtained demonstrate a reliable effect of a single intranasal administration of oxytocin - to increase resistance to stress, which is manifested in a decrease and normalization of classic manifestations caused by stress.
About the Authors

Kashina Yulia Viktorovna, Doctor of Sciences (Biology), Associate Professor Kuban State Medical University 4, M. Sedin st., Krasnodar, 350063, Russian Federation e-mail: yulia-kashina@yandex.ru 

Cherednik Irina Leonidovna, Doctor of Sciences (Medicine), Professor, Head of Department Kuban State Medical University 4, M. Sedin st., Krasnodar, 350063, Russian Federation e-mail: ilch2009@rambler.ru

Bakhova Albina Askarbievna, Department Assistant Kuban State Medical University 4, M. Sedin st., Krasnodar, 350063, Russian Federation e-mail: baxova.albina@mail.ru 

Panchenko Yelena Ivanovna, Lecturer Kuban State Medical University 4, M. Sedin st., Krasnodar, 350063, Russian Federation e-mail: elena.pan.ppp@yandex.ru 

Leonova Yelena Alekseevna, Senior Laboratory Assistant Kuban State Medical University 4, M. Sedin st., Krasnodar, 350063, Russian Federation e-mail: alenaakiyashko@.mail.ru 

Verevkin Aleksandr Aleksandrovich, Candidate of Science (Medicine), Associate Professor Kuban State Medical University 4, M. Sedin st., Krasnodar, 350063, Russian Federation e-mail: vilehand@bk.ru 

Popov Konstantin Andreevich, Candidate of Science (Medicine), Associate Professor Kuban State Medical University 4, M. Sedin st., Krasnodar, 350063, Russian Federation e-mail: naftalin444@mail.ru 

Kashina Yulia Olegovna, Student Kuban State Medical University 4, M. Sedin st., Krasnodar, 350063, Russian Federation e-mail: yikled@yandex.ru

Kotov Vadim Vyacheslavovich, Student Kuban State Medical University 4, M. Sedin st., Krasnodar, 350063, Russian Federation e-mail: valim.kotov@bk.ru

For citation
Kashina Yu.V., Cherednik I.L., Bakhova A.A., Panchenko Ye.I., Leonova Ye.A., Verevkin A.A., Popov K.A., Kashina Yu.O., Kotov V.V. Modulating Effect of Oxytocin on Stress Response in Rats. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Biology. Ecology, 2025, vol. 52, pp. 66-78. https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3372.2025.52.66 (in Russian)
Keywords
cortisol, stress, oxytocin, adrenal glands, spleen.
UDC
616.8-008.615: 577.175.346
DOI
https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3372.2025.52.66
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