EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF THE ORGAN INDEX OF IMMUNOCOMPETENT ORGANS AND ADRENAL GLANDS IN RATS UNDER STRESS MODELING AND THERAPEUTIC AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES

Abstract

stress reactions remains one of the most pressing issues in modern medicine due to the significant impact of stress on the functioning of the immune and endocrine systems. The systematic action of stress factors induces atrophic changes in lymphoid organs, hyperproduction of glucocorticoids, and leads to an imbalance in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system. In this regard, the development of effective therapeutic-prophylactic complexes capable of preventing the detrimental effects of stress and optimizing the organ index of immunocompetent organs and adrenal glands is a matter of high priority. Aim of the study. To evaluate the effect of a therapeutic drug complex on the organ index of immunocompetent organs and adrenal glands in rats under chronic stress modeling. Materials and methods. The study included 27 male Wistar rats (2 months old), divided into three groups (9 animals in each): an intact group (Group 1), a group exposed to acoustic stress (Group 2), and a group with acoustic stress plus additional administration of a therapeutic-prophylactic complex (Group 3). The experiment lasted for 49 days. Stress was modeled using an ultrasonic repeller (30–65 kHz), operated 6 hours daily, with the combined addition of sound in the audible range. Animals in Group 3 received the therapeutic-prophylactic agents orally. At the end of the experiment, the body weight of the rats, as well as the weights of the thymus, spleen, and adrenal glands, were measured to calculate the organ index (mg/100 g of body weight). Statistical analysis was performed using Student’s t-test (p<0.01). Results. In animals subjected to chronic stress, there was a significant reduction in thymus mass (by 47.9 %) and spleen mass (by 26.5 %) compared to the intact group, indicating a pronounced stress-induced atrophy of immunocompetent organs. At the same time, stress-related hypertrophy of the adrenal glands was observed (an 88.7% increase). In the group receiving the therapeutic drug complex, thymus and spleen mass values were restored, and adrenal gland hypertrophy was reduced nearly to the level of intact rats. Conclusions. The use of the developed therapeutic-prophylactic complex in rats under chronic stress modeling effectively corrects stress-induced disorders, normalizes the function of immunocompetent organs, and reduces signs of adrenal gland hypertrophy. These findings can provide a basis for developing modern strategies for the prevention and treatment of diseases associated with chronic stress.