TUMERIC POWDER
Suppression by Curcuma comosa Roxb. of pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion in phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate stimulated human mononuclear cells
1: Int Immunopharmacol. 2007 Apr;7(4):524-31. Epub 2007 Jan 26.
Suppression by Curcuma comosa Roxb. of pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion in phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate stimulated human mononuclear cells.
Toxicology Graduate Program, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Curcuma comosa Roxb. is a medicinal plant that has traditionally been used in Thailand for treatment of inflammation in postpartum uterine bleeding. The purpose of this study was to evaluate its anti-inflammatory effects using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and human pro-monocytic cell line (U937). Pretreatment with hexane or ethanol extract or two diarylhepatanoids (5-hydroxy-7-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-phenyl-(1E)-1-heptene and 7-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-hydroxy-1-phenyl-(1E)-1-heptene) of C. comosa significantly decreased the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1beta, from phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated PBMC and U937 cells. In PMA-stimulated U937 cells, the two C. comosa diarylhepatanoids reduced the expression of TNF-alpha and suppressed expression of IkappaB kinase and activation of nuclear factor kappa B. These results indicated that C. comosa and its diarylheptanoids have anti-inflammatory properties which could be exploited for clinical use.
PMID: 17321476 [PubMed - in process]
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The chemopreventive polyphenol curcumin prevents hematogenous breast cancer metastases in immunodeficient mice
1: Cell Physiol Biochem. 2007;19(1-4):137-52.
The chemopreventive polyphenol Curcumin prevents hematogenous breast cancer metastases in immunodeficient mice.
- Bachmeier B, Nerlich AG, Iancu CM, Cilli M, Schleicher E Vene R,
- Dell'Eva R, Jochum M, Albini A, Pfeffer U.
Department of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Surgical Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany. bachmeier@med.uni-muenchen.de
Dissemination of metastatic cells probably occurs long before diagnosis of the primary tumor. Metastasis during early phases of carcinogenesis in high risk patients is therefore a potential prevention target. The plant polyphenol Curcumin has been proposed for dietary prevention of cancer. We therefore examined its effects on the human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 in vitroand in a mouse metastasis model. Curcumin strongly induces apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells in correlation with reduced activation of the survival pathway NFkappaB, as a consequence of diminished IotakappaB and p65 phosphorylation. Curcumin also reduces the expression of major matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) due to reduced NFkappa B activity and transcriptional downregulation of AP-1. NFkappa B/p65 silencing is sufficient to downregulate c-jun and MMP expression. Reduced NFkappa B/AP-1 activity and MMP expression lead to diminished invasion through a reconstituted basement membrane and to a significantly lower number of lung metastases in immunodeficient mice after intercardiac injection of 231 cells (p=0.0035). 68% of Curcumin treated but only 17% of untreated animals showed no or very few lung metastases, most likely as a consequence of down-regulation of NFkappa B/AP-1 dependent MMP expression and direct apoptotic effects on circulating tumor cells but not on established metastases. Dietary chemoprevention of metastases appears therefore feasible. Copyright 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.
PMID: 17310108 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Comparative effects of curcumin and its synthetic analogue on tissue lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status during nicotine-induced toxicity
1: Singapore Med J. 2007 Feb;48(2):124-30.
Comparative effects of curcumin and its synthetic analogue on tissue lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status during nicotine-induced toxicity.
Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar 608002, India.
INTRODUCTION: Tobacco consumption is one of the leading preventable causes of death and disease worldwide. Nicotine, a major toxic component of tobacco, has been identified as an important risk factor for lung-related diseases. Increasing evidence demonstrates that oxidative stress plays a crucial aetiological role in the development of lung-related diseases. The present study aims at evaluating the protective role of curcumin and a synthetic analogue of curcumin (BDMC-A) on nicotine-induced oxidative stress. METHODS: Male albino rats of Wistar strain were used for the experimental study. Lung toxicity was induced by subcutaneous injection of nicotine at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg body weight (five days a week, for 22 weeks) and curcuminoids were given simultaneously by intragastric intubation for 22 weeks. Measurement of lipid peroxidation indices, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and hydroperoxides, nitric oxide and antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, reduced glutathione, vitamin E and vitamin C, were used as biomarkers for testing the antioxidant potential of the drugs. RESULTS: Oxidative stress, as evidenced by lipid peroxidation indices, was significantly increased in nicotine-treated groups. Administration of curcumin and BDMC-A abrogated this effect. The antioxidant status which was decreased in nicotine was effectively modulated by both curcumin and BDMC-A treatment. However, the reduction in oxidative stress was more pronounced in BDMC-A treatment groups compared to those treated with curcumin. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that BDMC-A exerts its protective effect by modulating the extent of lipid peroxidation and augmenting the antioxidant defence system.
PMID: 17304391 [PubMed - in process]
Neuroprotective effect of curcumin on focal cerebral ischemic rats by preventing blood-brain barrier damage
1: Eur J Pharmacol. 2007 Apr 30;561(1-3):54-62. Epub 2007 Jan 19.
Neuroprotective effect of curcumin on focal cerebral ischemic rats by preventing blood-brain barrier damage.
Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Curcumin, a member of the curcuminoid family of compounds, is a yellow colored phenolic pigment obtained from powdered rhizome of C. longa Linn. Recent studies have demonstrated that curcumin has protective effects against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. However, little is known about its mechanism. Disruption of the blood-brain barrier occurs after stroke. Protection of the blood-brain barrier has become an important target of stroke interventions in experimental therapeutic. The objective of the present study was to determine whether curcumin prevents cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by protecting blood-brain barrier integrity. We report that a single injection of curcumin (1 and 2 mg/kg, i.v.) 30 min after focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in rats significantly diminished infarct volume, improved neurological deficit, decreased mortality, reduced the water content of the brain and the extravasation of Evans blue dye in ipsilateral hemisphere in a dose-dependent manner. In cultured astrocytes, curcumin significantly inhibited inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and NO(x) (Nitrites/nitrates contents) production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF(alpha)). Furthermore, curcumin prevented ONOO(-) donor SIN-1-induced cerebral capillaries endothelial cells damage. We concluded that curcumin ameliorates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by preventing ONOO(-) mediated blood-brain barrier damage.
PMID: 17303117 [PubMed - in process]
Comparative study of copper(II)-curcumin complexes as superoxide dismutase mimics and free radical scavengers
1: Eur J Med Chem. 2006 Nov 30; [Epub ahead of print]
Comparative study of copper(II)-curcumin complexes as superoxide dismutase mimics and free radical scavengers.
- Barik A, Mishra B, Kunwar A, Kadam RM, Shen L, Dutta S, Padhye S, Satpati AK, Zhang HY, Indira Priyadarsini K.
Radiation and Photochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai-400085, India.
Two stoichiometrically different copper(II) complexes of curcumin (stoichiometry, 1:1 and 1:2 for copper:curcumin), were examined for their superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, free radical-scavenging ability and antioxidant potential. Both the complexes are soluble in lipids and DMSO. The formation constants of the complexes were determined by voltammetry. EPR spectra of the complexes in DMSO at 77K showed that the 1:2 Cu(II)-curcumin complex is square planar and the 1:1 Cu(II)-curcumin complex is distorted orthorhombic. Cu(II)-curcumin complex (1:1) with larger distortion from square planar structure shows higher SOD activity. These complexes inhibit gamma-radiation induced lipid peroxidation in liposomes and react with DPPH acting as free radical scavengers. One-electron oxidation of the two complexes by radiolytically generated azide radicals in Tx-100 micellar solutions produced phenoxyl radicals, indicating that the phenolic moiety of curcumin in the complexes participates in free radical reactions. Depending on the structure, these two complexes possess different SOD activities, free radical neutralizing abilities and antioxidant potentials. In addition, quantum chemical calculations with density functional theory have been performed to support the experimental observations.
PMID: 17240482 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Spicing up" of the immune system by curcumin
1: J Clin Immunol. 2007 Jan;27(1):19-35. Epub 2007 Jan 9
"Spicing up" of the immune system by curcumin.
Cytokine Research Laboratory, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is an orange-yellow component of turmeric (Curcuma longa), a spice often found in curry powder. Traditionally known for its an antiinflammatory effects, curcumin has been shown in the last two decades to be a potent immunomodulatory agent that can modulate the activation of T cells, B cells, macrophages, neutrophils, natural killer cells, and dendritic cells. Curcumin can also downregulate the expression of various proinflammatory cytokines including TNF, IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, and chemokines, most likely through inactivation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB. Interestingly, however, curcumin at low doses can also enhance antibody responses. This suggests that curcumin's reported beneficial effects in arthritis, allergy, asthma, atherosclerosis, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and cancer might be due in part to its ability to modulate the immune system. Together, these findings warrant further consideration of curcumin as a therapy for immune disorders.
PMID: 17211725 [PubMed - in process]
Curcumin-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human acute promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells via MMP changes and caspase-3 activation
1: Anticancer Res. 2006 Nov-Dec;26(6B):4361-71.
Curcumin-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human acute promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells via MMP changes and caspase-3 activation.
Department of Pharmacology, China Medical University, Taichung 404, ROC.
Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), is a natural product derived from the root of the plant Curcuma longa. For centuries, it has been used as a spice and as a herbal medicine in Chinese populations. Curcumin has been shown to inhibit cell proliferation, cell cycle arrest, cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and -2 expression and apoptosis in several human cancer cell lines. The aim of this investigation was to clarify the mechanisms by which curcumin induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in human leukemia HL-60 cells. The effects of curcumin on the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), Ca+2 production, cyclin E, cdc25c, wee1, Bcl-2, Bax, the changes of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), cytochrome c release and the activation of caspase-3 were also investigated in the HL-60 cells. Results of flow cytometry and DAPI staining assays indicated that curcumin induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in the examined cells. The results from flow cytometry assay indicated that curcumin induced ROS and Ca+2 productions, decreased the levels of MMP and increased the activity of caspase-3, leading to cell apoptosis. Western blot assay also revealed that curcumin increased the levels of Bax and the release of cytochrome c, and decreased the levels of Bcl-2 in the examined cells. The inhibition of caspase-3 activation by z-VAD-fmk (broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor) completely blocked curcumin-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells.
PMID: 17201156 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
