Curcumin Alters Neural Plasticity and Viability of Intact Hippocampal Circuits and Attenuates Behavioral Despair and COX-2 Expression in Chronically Stressed Rats.
Curcumin is a major diarylheptanoid component ofCurcuma longawith traditional usage for anxiety and depression. It has been known for the anti-inflammatory, antistress, and neurotropic effects. Here we examined curcumin effect in neural plasticity and cell viability. 60-channel multielectrode array was applied on organotypic hippocampal slice cultures (OHSCs) to monitor the effect of 10μM curcumin in long-term depression (LTD) through low-frequency stimulation (LFS) to the Schaffer collaterals and commissural pathways. Cell viability was assayed by propidium iodide uptake test in OHSCs. In addition, the influence of oral curcumin administration on rat behavior was assessed with the forced swim test (FST). Finally, protein expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were measured by Western blot in chronically stressed rats. Our results demonstrated that 10μM curcumin attenuated LTD and reduced cell death. It also recovered the behavior immobility of FST, rescued the attenuated BDNF expression, and inhibited the enhancement of COX-2 expression in stressed animals. These findings indicate that curcumin can enhance postsynaptic electrical reactivity and cell viability in intact neural circuits with antidepressant-like effects, possibly through the upregulation of BDNF and reduction of inflammatory factors in the brain.
Department of East-West Medicine, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin 446-701, Republic of Korea.
Ga-Young
GY
Choi
Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of East-West Medical Science, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin 446-701, Republic of Korea.
Hyun-Bum
HB
Kim
Department of East-West Medical Science, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin 446-701, Republic of Korea.
Eun-Sang
ES
Hwang
Department of East-West Medical Science, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin 446-701, Republic of Korea.
Seok
S
Lee
Department of East-West Medicine, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin 446-701, Republic of Korea.
Min-Ji
MJ
Kim
Department of East-West Medicine, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin 446-701, Republic of Korea.
Ji-Young
JY
Choi
Department of Oriental Medicinal Materials and Processing, College of Life Science, Kyung Hee University, Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 446-701, Republic of Korea.
Sung-Ok
SO
Lee
Department of Pharmacy, Hanyang University, Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do 15588, Republic of Korea.
Sang-Seong
0000-0002-9021-8307
SS
Kim
Department of East-West Medicine, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin 446-701, Republic of Korea.
Ji-Ho
0000-0001-9722-8463
JH
Park
D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D003474:Curcumin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D003474:Curcumin