Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. kabeernakhadee@yahoo.com
  • 2 Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
  • 3 Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Usman Danfodiyo University, P.M.B 2346 Sokoto, Nigeria
  • 4 Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. drezahar@gmail.com
  • 5 Department of Preclinical Sciences Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Biomolecules, 2019 09 06;9(9).
PMID: 31489882 DOI: 10.3390/biom9090453

Abstract

Lead (Pb) is a toxic, environmental heavy metal that induces serious clinical defects in all organs, with the nervous system being its primary target. Curcumin is the main active constituent of turmeric rhizome (Curcuma longa) with strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study is aimed at evaluating the therapeutic potentials of curcumin on Pb-induced neurotoxicity. Thirty-six male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned into five groups with 12 rats in the control (normal saline) and 6 rats in each of groups, i.e., the lead-treated group (LTG) (50 mg/kg lead acetate for four weeks), recovery group (RC) (50 mg/kg lead acetate for four weeks), treatment group 1 (Cur100) (50 mg/kg lead acetate for four weeks, followed by 100 mg/kg curcumin for four weeks) and treatment group 2 (Cur200) (50 mg/kg lead acetate for four weeks, followed by 200 mg/kg curcumin for four weeks). All experimental groups received oral treatment via orogastric tube on alternate days. Motor function was assessed using a horizontal bar method. The cerebellar concentration of Pb was evaluated using ICP-MS technique. Pb-administered rats showed a significant decrease in motor scores and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) activity with increased Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. In addition, a marked increase in cerebellar Pb concentration and alterations in the histological architecture of the cerebellar cortex layers were recorded. However, treatment with curcumin improved the motor score, reduced Pb concentration in the cerebellum, and ameliorated the markers of oxidative stress, as well as restored the histological architecture of the cerebellum. The results of this study suggest that curcumin attenuates Pb-induced neurotoxicity via inhibition of oxidative stress and chelating activity.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.