Amelioration of nonylphenol-induced anxiety/depression-like behaviors in male rats using green tea and Zn-Se tea interventions

Abstract We investigated the effects of nonylphenol (NP) on anxiety/depression-like behaviors and alleviation via green tea and zinc selenium (Zn-Se) tea interventions in rats. Forty male specific-pathogen free (SPF) Sprague-Dawley (SD) male rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10 per group): control group (C); NP group (40 mg/kg NP); green tea group (40 mg/kg NP + 0.2 g/mL GT group) and Zn-Se tea group (40 mg/kg NP + 0.2 g/mL ZST group). Following tea intervention, compared with the NP group, the residence time in the light-dark box test decreased, and the number of entries into the closed arm in the elevated plus maze test in the tea-treated group was significantly reduced. The sucrose preference index in the sucrose preference test increased, and the immobility time in the forced swimming test decreased. The effect of Zn-Se tea was better than that of green tea. The damage to the hippocampal tissues in the group treated with tea was less than in the NP group. The cellular arrangement was tighter with degeneration, deep staining, and pyknotic nerve cells were visible. The nuclei of the NP group were atrophied, and the cells were sparsely arranged. Compared with the NP group, corticosterone levels were decreased in the NP + Zn-Se tea group. Chronic NP exposure induced anxiety/depression-like behaviors in rats. Green tea effectively reduced the damage to the hippocampal and prefrontal cortex induced by NP. The effects of Zn-Se tea were slightly more optimal than those of conventional green tea.