title: The role of curcumin in streptozotocin-induced hepatic damage and the trans-differentiation of hepatic stellate cells.
abstract: Diabetic patients frequently suffer from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The current study aimed to investigate the role of curcumin and the response of hepatic stellate cells in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced hepatic damage. Sixty male rats were divided into three groups. The normal control injected with a citrate buffer vehicle and the diabetic control group which was injected intraperitoneally (IP) with a single-dose of streptozotocin (50mg/kg body weight) and a diabetic group was treated with an oral dose of curcumin at 80 mg/kg body weight daily for 60 days. Curcumin effectively counteracts oxidative stress-mediated hepatic damage and improves biochemical parameters. Alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was significantly reduced, and insulin antibodies showed strong positive immunoreactivity with curcumin administration. These results optimistically demonstrate the potential use of curcumin, which is attributed to its antiradical/antioxidant activities and its potential β-cell regenerative properties. Also, it has the capability to encourage the trans-differentiation of hepatic stellate cells into insulin-producing cells for a period of time. In addition, as it is an anti-fibrotic mediator that inhibits hepatic stellate cell activation and the transition to myofibroblast-like cells, this suggests the possibility of considering curcumin's novel therapeutic effects in reducing hepatic dysfunction in diabetic patients.
authors.affiliation: Anatomy Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: hesham977@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Hesham N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Mustafa
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D054338:Cell Transdifferentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D003474:Curcumin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D055166:Hepatic Stellate Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D003474:Curcumin; D007328:Insulin; D013311:Streptozocin; C498862:Acta2 protein, rat
keywords: Curcumin; Hepatic stellate cells; Lipid peroxidation; Streptozotocin; Trans-differentiation