title: The therapeutic effect of curcumin in male albino rats and its putative mechanisms on cerebral microvascular flow.
abstract: The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of curcumin on hypertension and its putative mechanisms in the cerebral microcirculation. The surgical preparation was made to generate a cranial window for observation of the capillary network in the cerebral cortex region. Digital image processing, intravital videomicroscopy, and laser Doppler flow meter were used in this investigation. The number of open capillaries, arterial blood pressure, red cell velocity, microvascular diameter, circulating endothelial cells, relative blood flow and frequency were determined. Control rats showed severe dysfunction in the microcirculation with increased blood pressure. In curcumin treated mice, the blood pressure significantly reduced compared to their respective controls. Curcumin significantly increased blood velocity and LDF flow in hypertensive and normotensive rats. Curcumin significantly altered the circulating endothelial cells and open capillaries number in the male albino rats. Our results suggested that the curcumin exerts its therapeutic effect in male albino rats by regulating vasomotion function, increasing blood perfusion, releasing the peripheral resistance and opening efficiently capillaries. Taking all these data together, it is concluded that the curcumin might be useful in the regulation of the cerebral microcirculatory function and hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei 443003, China. Electronic address: mnbrtyhjkl@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Renhe Hospital of China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei 443002, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei 443003, China.
authors.forename: Qi-Mei
authors.initials: QM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei 443003, China.
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei 443003, China.
authors.forename: Zhong-Mou
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003474:Curcumin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D003474:Curcumin
keywords: Blood pressure; Curcumin; Hypertension; Microcirculation; Rats