title: Potentiation by turmeric and curcumin of gamma-radiation-induced chromosome aberrations in Chinese hamster ovary cells.
abstract: The effect of turmeric and curcumin, two natural antioxidants, on the frequencies of chromosome aberrations induced in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells by gamma-radiation was investigated. Cells were treated with three concentrations of each drug, turmeric (100, 250, and 500 microg/ml) and curcumin (2.5, 5, and 10 microg/ml), and then irradiated (2.5 Gy) during different phases of the cell cycle. Turmeric was not clastogenic by itself, whereas curcumin at 10 microg/ml enhanced the chromosomal damage frequency. Neither of the two antioxidants showed protective effect against the clastogenicity of gamma-radiation. Instead, an obvious increase in the frequencies of chromosome aberrations was observed when turmeric at 500 microg/ml was associated with gamma-radiation during G2/S phase, and curcumin at 10 microg/ml plus gamma-radiation during S and G2/S phases of the cell cycle. The results clearly indicate the exacerbated effect of turmeric and curcumin on radiation-induced clastogenicity, suggesting that these antioxidants are also potentiating agents depending on the experimental conditions.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016466:CHO Cells; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002842:Chromatids / Q000528:radiation effects; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006224:Cricetinae; D030024:Curcuma; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005720:Gamma Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*