Is Chronic Curcumin Supplementation Neuroprotective Against Ischemia for Antioxidant Activity, Neurological Deficit, or Neuronal Apoptosis in an Experimental Stroke Model?
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the neuroprotective effect of chronic curcumin supplementation on the rat forebrain prior to ischemia and reperfusion.


METHODS
Forebrain ischemia was induced by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion for 1/2 hour, followed by reperfusion for 72 hours. Older rats were divided into five groups: Group I received 300 mg/kg oral curcumin for 21 days before ischemia and 300 mg/kg intraperitoneal curcumin after ischemia; Group II received 300 mg/kg intraperitoneal curcumin after ischemia; Group III received 300 mg/kg oral curcumin for 21 days before ischemia; Group IV had only ischemia; Group V was the sham-operated group. The forebrain was rapidly dissected for biochemical parameter assessment and histopathological examination.


RESULTS
In forebrain tissue, enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase were significantly higher in Group I than Groups II or III (p < 0.05) while xanthine dehydrogenase and malondialdehyde enzyme activities and concentrations of interleukin-6 and TNF-alpha were significantly lower in Group I when compared to Groups II and III (p < 0.05). A significant reduction in neurological score was observed after 24 and 72 hours in the curcumin-treated groups compared with the ischemic group. We also found a marked reduction in apoptotic index after 72 hours in the groups receiving curcumin. Significantly more TUNEL-positive cells were observed in the ischemic group compared to those treated with curcumin.


CONCLUSIONS
We demonstrated the neuroprotective effect of chronic curcumin supplement on biochemical parameters, neurological scores and apoptosis following ischemia and reperfusion injury in rats.
Selcuk University, Medical Faculty, Department of Pathology, Konya, Turkey.
Serdar
S
Altinay
Murat
M
Cabalar
Cihan
C
Isler
Funda
F
Yildirim
Duygu S
DS
Celik
Oguzhan
O
Zengi
Abdurrahim
A
Tas
Ahmet
A
Gulcubuk
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D007511:Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D014968:Xanthine Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism
D015850:Interleukin-6; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D014968:Xanthine Dehydrogenase; D003474:Curcumin