title: Protective effect of Curcuma longa L. extract on CCl4-induced acute hepatic stress.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Curcuma longa L. (CLL) rhizome has long been used to treat patients with hepatic dysfunction. CLL is a member of the ginger family of spices that are widely used in China, India, and Japan, and is a common spice, coloring, flavoring, and traditional medicine. This study was performed to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of CLL extract and its active component curcumin in an acute carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver stress model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acute hepatic stress was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of CCl4(0.1 ml/kg body weight) in rats. CLL extract was administered once a day for 3 days at three dose levels (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg/day) and curcumin was administered once a day at the 200 mg/kg/day. We performed alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST). activity analysis and also measured total lipid, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels, and lipid peroxidation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 100 g CLL, the curcuminoid components curcumin (901.63 ± 5.37 mg/100 g), bis-demethoxycurcumin (108.28 ± 2.89 mg/100 g), and demethoxycurcumin (234.85 ± 1.85 mg/100 g) were quantified through high liquid chromatography analysis. In CCl4-treated rats, serum AST and ALT levels increased 2.1- and 1.2-fold compared with the control. AST but not ALT elevation induced by CCl4was significantly alleviated in CLL- and curcumin-treated rats. Peroxidation of membrane lipids in the liver was significantly prevented by CLL (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg/day) on tissue lipid peroxidation assay and immunostaining with anti-4HNE antibody. We found that CLL extract and curcumin exhibited significant protection against liver injury by improving hepatic superoxide dismutase (p < 0.05) and glutathione peroxidase activity, and glutathione content in the CCl4-treated group (p < 0.05), leading to a reduced lipid peroxidase level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggested that CLL extract and curcumin protect the liver from acute CCl4-induced injury in a rodent model by suppressing hepatic oxidative stress. Therefore, CLL extract and curcumin are potential therapeutic antioxidant agents against acute hepatotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and New Drug Development Institute, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Chonbuk, 561-180, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Geum-Hwa
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and New Drug Development Institute, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Chonbuk, 561-180, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hwa-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and New Drug Development Institute, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Chonbuk, 561-180, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Kyung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and New Drug Development Institute, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Chonbuk, 561-180, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Han-Wool
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: CS1 Center, Ottogi Research Center, Ottogi Corporation, Kyeonggi-do, 14060, Republic of Korea.|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.forename: Seung-Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and New Drug Development Institute, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Chonbuk, 561-180, Republic of Korea. hjchae@jbnu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Han-Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Chae
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D030024:Curcuma / Q000737:chemistry*; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D027343:Rhizome / Q000737:chemistry; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D008055:Lipids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D005978:Glutathione; D003474:Curcumin
keywords: CLL extract; Curcumin; GSH; Hepatotoxicity; Lipid peroxidation