title: Curcumin prevents the structural changes induced in the rats' deep cerebellar nuclei by sodium metabisulfite, a preservative agent.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the the possible neurotoxic effects of sulfite and the protective potential of curcumin on the deep cerebellar nuclei using stereological methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  The rats were randomly divided into five experimental groups (n=6): Group I: distilled water, Group II: Olive oil, Group III: Curcumin (100 mg/kg/day), Group IV: Sodium metabisulfite (25 mg/kg/day), and Group V: Sodium metabisulfite+curcumin. At the end of 56 d, the right cerebellar hemispheres were removed and assigned to stereological studies. The total volume and total neuron number of deep cerebellar nuclei were assessed using Cavalieri and optical disector methods, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data showed ∼20% and ∼16% decrease was respectively observed in the total volume and the total neuron number of the deep cerebellar nuclei of the sulfite-treated rats in comparison to the distilled water group (P<0.04). However, no significant change was observed in the total volume and neuronal number of the deep cerebellar nuclei in sulfite+curcumin-treated rats and curcumin played a protective role against sulfite. Curcumin or its vehicle (olive oil) did not induce any significant changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Curcumin, the main part of the turmeric, could prevent the structural changes induced in the deep cerebellar nuclei by sodium metabisulfite, a preservative agent, in rats.
authors.affiliation: Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hassan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Karimfar
authors.affiliation: Histomorphometry and Stereology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noorafshan
authors.affiliation: Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rashidiani-Rashidabadi
authors.affiliation: Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Aghdas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poostpasand
authors.affiliation: Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Asadi-Golshan
authors.affiliation: Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad-Amin
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Abdollahifar
authors.affiliation: Histomorphometry and Stereology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: karbalas@sums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Saied
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karbalay-Doust
keywords: Cerebellum; Curcumin; Deep cerebellar nuclei, Rat; Histology; Sulfite