Effect of Curcumin on Hepatic Antioxidant Enzymes Activities and Gene Expressions in Rats Intoxicated with Aflatoxin B1

• Published in: Phytotherapy research 2015-01, Vol.29 (1), p.134-140
• Main Author: El‐Bahr, S. M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: aflatoxin B1; Aflatoxin B1 - toxicity; Animals; antioxidant activity; antioxidants; Antioxidants - metabolism; biomarkers; body weight; catalase; Catalase - metabolism; Curcuma longa; curcumin; Curcumin - pharmacology; gene expression; Gene Expression - drug effects; gene expression regulation; genes; glutathione; Glutathione - metabolism; glutathione peroxidase; Glutathione Peroxidase - metabolism; glutathione transferase; Glutathione Transferase - metabolism; Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects; Lipid Peroxides - metabolism; liver; Liver - drug effects; Liver - enzymology; liver damage; Male; Oxidation-Reduction; oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Rats; superoxide dismutase; Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances - metabolism; thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances; transaminases
• ISSN: 0951-418X; 1099-1573
• DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5239

Twenty‐eight rats were examined in a 5‐week experiment to investigate the effect of curcumin on gene expression and activities of hepatic antioxidant enzymes in rats intoxicated with aflatoxin B1 (AFB₁). The rats were divided into four groups. Rats in 1–4 groups served as control, oral curcumin treated (15 mg/kg body weight), single i.p. dose of AFB₁(3 mg/kg body weight) and combination of single i.p. dose of AFB₁with oral curcumin treated, respectively. AFB₁Liver damage and oxidative stress were evident in untreated AFB₁‐intoxicated rats as indicated by a significant elevation in hepatic transaminases, elevation in lipid peroxide biomarkers (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances; TBARS), reduction of reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration, reduction in the activities of antioxidant enzymes namely catalase (CAT), total superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione‐S‐transferase (GST) and down‐regulation of gene expression of these antioxidant enzymes compared to control. Liver sections of rats intoxicated with AFB₁showed a disrupted lobular architecture, scattered necrotic cells and biliary proliferation. Administration of curcumin with AFB₁resulted in amelioration of AFB₁‐induced effects compared to untreated AFB₁‐intoxicated rats via an up‐regulation of antioxidant enzyme gene expression, activation of the expressed genes and increase in the availability of GSH. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.