Antioxidant status and endocannabinoid concentration in postpartum depressive women

Approximately 50% to 80% of women experience varying degrees of postpartum depression. Oxidative stress is involved in many diseases, including depression. Common production of lipid peroxidation by oxidative stress is malondialdehyde (MDA). The endocannabinoid system is a nervous regulator and convoy the impression that the circulatory levels of endocannabinoid is significantly reduced in depressed women. The major purpose of this paper was to evaluate activity of the major antioxidant and endocannabinoid index in postpartum depression. A total of 130 women were entered in a case-control study in 12 Bahman Health Center from April 2011 to August 2011. In 4th to 6th week after delivery, women were equally divided into 2 groups based on Edinburg questionnaire (normal and postpartum depressive women). Serum MDA, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and RBC catalase levels were determined to investigate the oxidative status. In addition, Mass spectrometry was applied for the analysis of serum anandamide (AEA) and 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). Based on Edinburg questionnaire, however, women age, husband age, husband marital number, gravidity, children number, salary and house size have no significant effect on postpartum depression, marital period was significantly increased postpartum depression (P< 0.05). In addition, women education, husband education, wanted or unwanted pregnancy from women, neonatal sex, satisfaction of neonatal sex from women and husbands, breast feeding and delivery have no significant effect on postpartum depression, and women Job (P< 0.001), husband job (P< 0.001), wanted or unwanted pregnancy from husbands (P< 0.05) were significantly changed postpartum depression. Serum MDA and RBC catalase levels were not significantly higher in depress compared with the normal group. TAC was significantly decreased in patients having postpartum depression (P< 0.05). Serum AEA and 2-AG levels were significantly lower in depress compared with the normal group (P< 0.01). Women’s Job, husband’s job, wanted or unwanted pregnancy from husbands and marital period are associated to postpartum depression. In postpartum depression, TAC, AEA and 2-AG are reduced. So it can be concluded that both antioxidant system and endocannabinoid concentration involved in the development of postpartum depression.