Inhibition of oxidative stress, neuroinflammatory cytokines, and protein expressions contributes to the antipsychotic effects of geraniol in mice with ketamine-induced schizophrenia.
Journal of neuroimmune pharmacology : the official journal of the Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology July 3, 2025 Christian I Uruaka, Benneth Ben-Azu, Noah A Omeiza et al. 6 citations
Geraniol, a natural compound, prevented and reversed schizophrenia-like behaviors—hyperactivity, impaired spatial memory, and social withdrawal—induced by ketamine in male Swiss mice. It restored antioxidant defenses (glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase), reduced oxidative damage (malondialdehyde, nitrite), and lowered inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) in the striatum, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus. Geraniol also suppressed expression of NF-κB, COX-2, and iNOS proteins in those brain regions. The findings suggest geraniol has neuroprotective and neurorestorative effects against schizophrenia-like symptoms by counteracting oxidative stress and neuroinflammation.