title: Curcumin suppresses ovalbumin-induced allergic conjunctivitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Allergic conjunctivitis (AC) from an allergen-driven T helper 2 (Th2) response is characterized by conjunctival eosinophilic infiltration. Because curcumin has shown anti-allergic activity in an asthma and contact dermatitis laboratory models, we examined whether administration of curcumin could affect the severity of AC and modify the immune response to ovalbumin (OVA) allergen in an experimental AC model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice were challenged with two doses of topical OVA via the conjunctival sac after systemic sensitization with OVA in aluminum hydroxide (ALUM). Curcumin was administered 1 h before OVA challenge. Several indicators for allergy such as serum immunoglubulin E (IgE) antibodies production, eosinophil infiltration into the conjunctiva and Th2 cytokine production were evaluated in mice with or without curcumin treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mice challenged with OVA via the conjunctival sac following systemic sensitization with OVA in ALUM had severe AC. Curcumin administration markedly suppressed IgE-mediated and eosinophil-dependent conjunctival inflammation. In addition, mice administered curcumin had less interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-5 (IL-5) (Th2 type cytokine) production in conjunctiva, spleen, and cervical lymph nodes than mice in the non-curcumin-administered group. OVA challenge resulted in activation of the production of inducible nitric oxide (iNOS), and curcumin treatment inhibited iNOS production in the conjunctiva.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We believe our findings are the first to demonstrate that curcumin treatment suppresses allergic conjunctival inflammation in an experimental AC model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: So-Hyang
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Seong Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jin A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Roy S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Chuck
authors.forename: Choun-Ki
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Joo
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000534:Alum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D003474:Curcumin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000534:Alum Compounds; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D015848:Interleukin-5; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D003474:Curcumin