Nano-Curcumin improves caffeine-induced cerebral alterations in male Wistar rats by modifying oxidative stress, inflammation, and COX-2/NF-κB/Nrf2 signaling

• Published in: Beni-Suef University journal of basic and applied sciences 2024-09, Vol.13 (1), p.93-14, Article 93
• Main Authors: Morsy, Moustafa M., Ahmed, R. G., Abdel-Gabbar, Mohammed
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies; Apoptosis; Caffeine; Cerebrum; Curcumin; Down-regulation; Gene expression; Glutathione; Growth factors; Inflammation; Inflammatory response; Interleukin 6; Lymphocytes B; Males; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolism; Nano-curcumin; Neurotoxicity; NF-κB protein; NRF2 protein; Oxidative stress; Rats; Signal transduction; Superoxide dismutase; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Vascular endothelial growth factor
• ISSN: 2314-8543; 2314-8535; 2314-8543
• DOI: 10.1186/s43088-024-00526-5

Background This research aims to determine the probable protective effect of nano-curcumin (N-CUR) on caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine)-induced neurotoxicity in cerebral rats. Methods Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control, caffeine (150 mg kg −1 ), and caffeine (150 mg kg −1 ) treated with N-CUR (300 mg kg −1 ). All treatments were administrated by gavage every day for a month. Results Administration of caffeine significantly elevated the levels of serum interleukins 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and cyclooxygenase2 (COX-2). Also, there was a significant increase in levels of cerebral malondialdehyde (MDA), significantly diminished glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Caffeine administration significantly downregulated the gene expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and upregulated the expression of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB). Administration of N-CUR caused a significant amelioration in TNF-α and IL-6 levels and a significant rise in SOD activity, while it caused a significant downregulation in NF-κB mRNA expression. Additionally, N-CUR has exerted insignificant amelioration of COX-2 and MDA contents and Nrf2 mRNA expression compared to the caffeine-treated group. Conclusion N-CUR may have a mild to moderate ameliorative effect on caffeine-induced apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response in the cerebrum. Highlights Caffeine induced oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation in the cerebrum. Caffeine resulted in significantly increased COX-2 and VEGF levels. Caffeine increased the expression of NF-ĸB and inhibited Nrf2 in cerebrum. N-CUR may have a mild to moderate ameliorative effect on caffeine exposure. Humans could confine caffeine intake to evade any alterations in the cerebrum. Graphical abstract