Phytotherapeutic activity of curcumol: Isolation, GC-MS identification, and assessing potentials against acute and subchronic hyperglycemia, tactile allodynia, and hyperalgesia.
BACKGROUND
Curcumol has recently attracted special attention due to its potential activities in many chronic disorders. Moreover, the traditional role of turmeric [Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae)] in suppression of hyperglycemia is of great interest.


OBJECTIVE
The present work explores the potential acute and subchronic antihyperglycemic, antinociceptive, and in vivo antioxidant effects of curcumol in alloxan-diabetic mice.


METHODS
Bio-guided fractionation, column-chromatography, and GC-MS were utilized to identify the most active compound of turmeric (curcumol). Turmeric (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg), the curcumol rich fraction (CRF) (7 mg/kg), and curcumol (20, 30, and 40 mg/kg) were assessed for their acute (6 h) and subchronic (8 d) antihyperglycemic potentials and antinociceptive effects (8 weeks) were measured, using hot-plate and tail-flick latencies and von-Frey filaments method and in vivo antioxidant effects in alloxan-diabetic mice.


RESULTS
The most-active turmeric fraction was found to be rich in curcumol (45.5%) using GC-MS analysis method. The results proved that the highest dose levels of turmeric extract and curcumol exerted remarkable hypoglycemic activity with 41.4 and 39.3% drop in the mice glucose levels after 6 h, respectively. Curcumol (40 mg/kg) was found to be 9.4% more potent than turmeric extract (100 mg/kg) in subchronic management of diabetes. Curcumol also showed a significant improvement of peripheral nerve function as observed from the latency and tactile tests.


CONCLUSIONS
The antioxidant potential of curcumol may cause its ability to ameliorate diabetes and diabetes-related complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Curcumol, a natural metabolite with a good safety-profile, showed results comparable with tramadol in reversing diabetes-induced tactile allodynia and hyperalgesia.
a Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy , Beirut Arab University , Beirut , Lebanon .
Karim M
KM
Raafat
b Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy , Beirut Arab University , Beirut , Lebanon , and.|c Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy , Alexandria University , Alexandria , Egypt.
Amal G
AG
Omar
D000496:Alloxan; D000700:Analgesics / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D030024:Curcuma / Q000737:chemistry; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000187:drug effects*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D027343:Rhizome; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
D000700:Analgesics; D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D000496:Alloxan; C022801:curcumol
Diabetes mellitus; diabetic neuropathy; in vivo antioxidant; turmeric; von Frey filaments