Cocoa and classical music: effect on anxiety and antioxidant activity in Wistar rats

The effect of cocoa powder and subchronic exposure to classical music in Wistar rats behavior on anxiety evaluation tests and their antioxidant activity was evaluated. The animals were divided into four groups: control group (CG), cocoa powder group (CPG), music group (MG) and cocoa powder with music group (CPMG). During 15 days, CPG and CPMG received commercial non-alkalized cocoa powder daily (66 mg total polyphenols / g of product, by oral gavage), while MG and CPMG were exposed to the music of Mozart (Serenade N.10 in B flat major for woodwinds and bass, "Gran partita" K.361 / 370a, Largo movement, 8:35 minutes long). At the end of the experiment, the animals were submitted to elevated plus-maze (EPM) and openfield (OF) tests, and serum analysis of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances index (TBA-RS) and the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Animals from MG and CPMG groups showed the highest total horizontal locomotion and more time spent at the central area and reduced immobility time at the OF. The TBA-RS average of the treated groups were lower than the GC. The average activity of CAT was higher in CPMG than the others, and the average activity of SOD and GSH-Px were higher only in CPG and CPMG. We concluded that the treatment with this classical music showed mild anxiolytic activity. Both treatments (cocoa and music) improved serum antioxidant status, but the peripheral activity of different serum enzymes was mainly improved by the cocoa powder.