title: Turmeric extract and its active compound, curcumin, protect against chronic CCl4-induced liver damage by enhancing antioxidation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Curcumin, a major active component of turmeric, has previously been reported to alleviate liver damage. Here, we investigated the mechanism by which turmeric and curcumin protect the liver against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced injury in rats. We hypothesized that turmeric extract and curcumin protect the liver from CCl4-induced liver injury by reducing oxidative stress, inhibiting lipid peroxidation, and increasing glutathione peroxidase activation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chronic hepatic stress was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 (0.1 ml/kg body weight) into rats. Turmeric extracts and curcumin were administered once a day for 4 weeks at three dose levels (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg/day). We performed ALT and AST also measured of total lipid, triglyceride, cholesterol levels, and lipid peroxidation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that turmeric extract and curcumin significantly protect against liver injury by decreasing the activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase and by improving the hepatic glutathione content, leading to a reduced level of lipid peroxidase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that turmeric extract and curcumin protect the liver from chronic CCl4-induced injury in rats by suppressing hepatic oxidative stress. Therefore, turmeric extract and curcumin are potential therapeutic antioxidant agents for the treatment of hepatic disease.
authors: Department of Pharmacology and New Drug Development Institute, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Chonbuk, 561-180, Republic of Korea.
authors: Hwa-Young
authors: HY
authors: Lee
authors: CS1 Center, Ottogi Research Center, Ottogi Corporation, Kyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
authors: Seung-Wook
authors: SW
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Pharmacology and New Drug Development Institute, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Chonbuk, 561-180, Republic of Korea.
authors: Geum-Hwa
authors: GH
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Pharmacology and New Drug Development Institute, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Chonbuk, 561-180, Republic of Korea.
authors: Min-Kyung
authors: MK
authors: Choi
authors: Department of Pharmacology and New Drug Development Institute, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Chonbuk, 561-180, Republic of Korea.
authors: Han-Wool
authors: HW
authors: Jung
authors: Food Safety Center, Ottogi Corp, 49 Heungan-daero 395 beon-gil, Dongan-gu, Anyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, 14060, South Korea.
authors: Young-Jun
authors: YJ
authors: Kim
authors: Chemical Genomics National Research Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Translational Research Center for Protein Function Control, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 120-752, Republic of Korea.
authors: Ho-Jeong
authors: HJ
authors: Kwon
authors: Department of Pharmacology and New Drug Development Institute, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Chonbuk, 561-180, Republic of Korea. hjchae@chonbuk.ac.kr.
authors: Han-Jung
authors: HJ
authors: Chae
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000378:metabolism*; D030024:Curcuma / Q000737:chemistry; D003474:Curcumin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; C012596:turmeric extract; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D005978:Glutathione; D003474:Curcumin
keywords: Carbon tetrachloride; Curcumin; Glutathione; Lipid peroxidase; Oxidative stress