THE ROLE OF Δ 9 -THC ON OXIDATIVE STRESS STATUS OF BRAIN AND CEREBELLUM IN TYPE-2 DIABETES 5 th THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON CELL MEMBRANES AND OXIDATIVE STRESS: FOCUS ON CALCIUM SIGNALING AND TRP CHANNELS, SEPTEMBER 2014, ISPARTA-TURKEY ZEYNEP MINE COSKUN a, SEMA BOLKENT b a Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Istanbul Bilim University, Istanbul, Turkey b Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Cerrahpasa Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey INTRODUCTION MATERIAL AND METHOD RESULTS REFERENCES [ 1] Ceretta LB et al. Increased oxidative stress and imbalance in antioxidant enzymes in the brains of alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Exp Diabetes Res. 2012;2012: [2] Shinde SN et al. Evaluation of oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes mellitus and follow-up along with vitamin E supplementation. Indian J Clin Biochem 2011; 26: [3] Chen J et al. Reactive oxygen species and p38 phosphorylation regulate the protective effect of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol in the apoptotic response to NMDA. Neurosci Lett 2005; 389: [4] Moldzio R et al. Effects of cannabinoids Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, Δ(9)- tetrahydrocannabinolic acid and cannabidiol in MPP+ affected murine mesencephalic cultures. Phytomedicine 2012; 19: [5] Sagredo O et al. Neuroprotective effects of phytocannabinoid-based medicines in experimental models of Huntington's disease. J Neurosci Res 2011; 89: week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups. Group I: Physiological saline was administered intraperitoneally (i.p) (n=7). Group II: Rats that are given Δ 9 -THC for 7 days (3 mg/kg/day) (n=6) (i.p). Group III: Streptozotocin (STZ, 65 mg/kg)+Nicotinamide (NAD, 85 mg/kg) (n=7) (i.p). Group IV: Diabetic rats that are given Δ 9 -THC (3 mg/kg/day) for 7 days (n=7) (i.p). Malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were measured in brain and cerebellum tissue samples of rats. Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. The hyperglycemia leads to neuronal damage [1]. The development and progression of diabetes mellitus and its complications are derived from increased oxidative damage [2]. Many studies report that Δ 9 -THC is protective for neuronal injury in experimental models and exhibits anti- oxidative action [3-5]. In this study, we aimed to explore the curative effect on oxidative stress of Δ 9 THC in the brain and cerebellum of type-2 diabetic rats. The results showed that GSH levels of the brain and cerebellum were non-significantly decreased in the diabetic rats as compared with the control group. The GSH levels of the brain and cerebellum were non-significantly increased in the diabetes+Δ 9 -THC group when compared with the diabetic group. It was found that the increased MDA levels of the brain and cerebellum in diabetic rats were decreased by treatment with Δ 9 -THC. In the diabetic rats treated with Δ 9 -THC, the SOD activities of the brain and cerebellum were elevated as compared with diabetes group. The brain and cerebellum CAT activities were non-significantly increased in the diabetic rats treated with Δ 9 -THC, as compared with the diabetes group. CONCLUSION In conclusion, it is suggested that Δ 9 -THC has curative effects against oxidative stress in type-2 diabetic rats. Δ 9 -THC may be conferred in diabetes treatment with an appropriate dose due to its antioxidant effects. *Mean ± Standart Error of Mean (SEM), NS: Non-significant a P<0.01 versus control group; b P<0.05 versus control group; c P<0.01 versus Δ 9 -THC group; d P<0.01 versus diabetes group; e P<0.05 versus diabetes group Table: Biochemical parameters in all groups BRAİNCEREBELLUM Groups GSH* (nmol/mg) MDA* (nmol/mg) SOD* (U/mg) CAT* (U/mg) GSH* (nmol/mg) MDA* (nmol/mg) SOD* (U/mg) CAT* (U/mg) Control (n=7) ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0.50 Δ 9 -THC (n=6) ± ± 0.92 b 6.05 ± ± ± ± ± 0.58 b 7.55 ± 1.16 Diabetes (n=7) ± ± 0.80 a 4.56 ± ± ± ± 0.21 a,c 5.45 ± 0.56 a 8.84 ± 1.21 Diabetes + Δ 9 -THC (n=7) ± ± ± ± ± ± 0.33 d 6.86 ± 0.51 e 8.98 ± 1.65 P ANOVA NS P<0.05NSP<0.05