In vitro cytogenetic and genotoxic effects of curcumin on human peripheral blood lymphocytes.
Curcumin has shown a wide range of properties such as anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties. Many of these effects, mainly the anti-carcinogenic effect, could be linked to its anti-oxidant effects. Nevertheless, some studies suggest that this natural compound possesses both pro- and anti-oxidative effects and that curcumin could be a genotoxic agent for some cell lines. We evaluated the genetic damage induced by curcumin to human lymphocytes exposed to increasing concentrations (0-50 μg/ml) of curcumin. Biomarkers such as chromosome aberrations (CAs) and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) were analyzed. In addition to the cytogenetic analysis, the effect of curcumin in the cell proliferation kinetics (CPK) by the proliferation index (PI) was also analyzed. The results indicated that high concentrations of curcumin induced CAs, mainly acentric fragments. SCEs rate was not statistically different from the control group in any curcumin treated cell group. The PI of cells treated with 2 and 5 μg/ml of curcumin were statistically significant from the control group and finally, the MI showed a tendency to increase in all the concentrations of curcumin tested. In conclusion, it can be assumed that the higher concentrations of curcumin evaluated have a cyto and genotoxic effect, in vitro, for human peripheral lymphocytes.
Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of València, 46100 Burjassot, Spain.
Natividad
N
Sebastià
Jose M
JM
Soriano
Joan F
JF
Barquinero
Juan I
JI
Villaescusa
Miguel
M
Almonacid
José
J
Cervera
Esperanza
E
Such
María A
MA
Silla
Alegría
A
Montoro
D015197:Carcinogenicity Tests; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D003474:Curcumin / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange
D003474:Curcumin