Curcumin treatment protects rat retinal neurons against excitotoxicity: effect on N-methyl-D: -aspartate-induced intracellular Ca(2+) increase.
Curcumin, an extract from the plant Curcuma longa with well-known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, was tested as protective agent against excitotoxicity in rat retinal cultures. A 24 h-treatment with curcumin reduced N-methyl-D: -aspartate (NMDA)-mediated excitotoxic cell damage, estimated as decrease of cell viability and increase in apoptosis. The protection was associated with decrease of NMDA receptor-mediated Ca(2+) rise and reduction in the level of phosphorylated NR1 subunit of the NMDA receptor. These results enlighten a new pharmacological action of the plant extract, possibly mediated by a modulation of NMDA receptor activity.
Matteucci
A
A
Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy.
Frank
C
C
Domenici
M R
MR
Balduzzi
M
M
Paradisi
S
S
Carnovale-Scalzo
G
G
Scorcia
G
G
Malchiodi-Albedi
F
F
D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000633:toxicity*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000187:drug effects; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; C409466:NR1 NMDA receptor; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D003474:Curcumin; D002118:Calcium