Curcumin, a component of turmeric, efficiently prevents diclofenac sodium-induced gastroenteropathic damage in rats: A step towards translational medicine

Curcumin ameliorated low dose-Bisphenol A induced gastric toxicity in adult albino rats

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the most common worldwide chemicals involved in the industry of polycarbonate plastics, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals. Forty three-month-old albino rats were randomly classified into four groups. Group Ӏ received a daily corn oil dose (5 mL/kg/ body weight, BW) through a gastric tube for one month, Group ӀӀ received a daily dose of Curcumin (200 mg/kg body weight (B.W.) through a gastric tube for one month, Group ӀӀӀ received a daily dose of BPA (0.5 μg/kg B.W.) through a gastric tube for one month and Group ӀV received concomitant daily doses of Bisphenol A and Curcumin as the regimen described in groups ӀӀ and ӀӀӀ. The rats were sacrificed, and glandular portion of stomach was dissected and processed for light, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study. BPA induced destructed gastric glands, dilated congested blood vessels, submucosal oedema, decreased PAS-positive reactivity, increased collagen fibres deposition, decrease in the positive BCL2 immunoexpression, increased positive PCNA immunoexpression, reduction in the gastric mucosal height and destructive changes in the enteroendocrine, chief and parietal cells. Curcumin coadministration provoked an obvious improvement in the gastric structure. BPA exposure has toxic effects on the glandular portion of the stomach in rats. Otherwise, Curcumin coadministration has exhibited protective impact on the architecture of the stomach.

An inverted in vitro triple culture model of the healthy and inflamed intestine: Adverse effects of polyethylene particles

As environmental pollution with plastic waste is increasing, numerous reports show the contamination of natural habitats, food and drinking water with plastic particles in the micro- and nanometer range. Since oral exposure to these particles is virtually unavoidable, health concerns towards the general population have been expressed and risk assessment regarding ingested plastic particles is of great interest. To study the intestinal effects of polymeric particles with a density of <1 g/cm³ in vitro, we spatially inverted a triple culture transwell model of the healthy and inflamed intestine (Caco-2/HT29-MTX-E12/THP-1), which allows contact between buoyant particles and cells. We validated the inverted model against the original model using the enterotoxic, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac and subsequently assessed the cytotoxic and pro-inflammatory effects of polyethylene (PE) microparticles. The results show that the inverted model exhibits the same distinct features as the original model in terms of barrier development and inflammatory parameters. Treatment with 2 mM diclofenac causes severe cytotoxicity, DNA damage and complete barrier disruption in both models. PE particles induced cytotoxicity and pro-inflammatory effects in the inverted model, which would have remained undetected in conventional in vitro approaches, as no effect was observed in non-inverted control cultures.

Carvacrol exerts nephroprotective effect in rat model of diclofenac-induced renal injury through regulation of oxidative stress and suppression of inflammatory response

Diclofenac (DIC) is an NSAID that can cause toxic effects in animals and humans and carvacrol (CAR) is a monoterpene compound that displays effective pharmacological and biological actions. The purpose of this work was to assess the influences of CAR on DIC-induced renal injury and oxidative stress in male rats. The rats were segregated into four groups. Group 1, control group; Group 2 received DIC-only; Groups 3, received CAR-only and group 4 received DIC plus CAR. Changes in biochemical indexes, pathological changes, molecular biological indexes, and genes related to the inflammation of main organs were evaluated. The results of this work indicated that the amounts of the serum protein carbonyl, sGOT, sGPT, urea, creatinine, uric acid, nitrite content, MDA, serum TNF-α, and renal TNF-α gene expression were remarkably increased and the levels of the GPx, GSH, CAT, and SOD were significantly reduced in DIC-only treated animals compared to the control group. On the other hand, treatment with CAR after exposure to DIC led to significant improvements in abnormalities of DIC-induced renal injury and serum biochemical factors. The data approve that CAR diminished the deleterious effects of DIC exposure. In this regard, the findings of this study indicated that the administration of CAR could alleviate the noxious effects of DIC on the antioxidant defense system and renal tissue.

Curcumin, a Natural Antimicrobial Agent with Strain-Specific Activity

Curcumin, a principal bioactive substance of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), is reported as a strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral agent. However, its antimicrobial properties require further detailed investigations into clinical and multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates. In this work, we tested curcumin's efficacy against over 100 strains of pathogens belonging to 19 species. This activity was determined by the broth microdilution method and by calculating the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Our findings confirmed a much greater sensitivity of Gram-positive than Gram-negative bacteria. This study exhibited a significantly larger variation in the curcumin activity than previous works and suggested that numerous clinical strains of widespread pathogens have a poor sensitivity to curcumin. Similarly, the MICs of the MDR types of Staphylococcus aureus, S. haemolyticus, Escherichia coli, and Proteus mirabilis were high (≥2000 µg/mL). However, curcumin was effective against some species and strains: Streptococcus pyogenes (median MIC = 31.25 µg/mL), methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (250 µg/mL), Acinetobacter lwoffii (250 µg/mL), and individual strains of Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (62.5 µg/mL). The sensitivity of species was not associated with its affiliation to the genus, and it could differ a lot (e.g., S. pyogenes, S. agalactiae and A. lwoffii, A. baumannii). Hence, curcumin can be considered as a promising antibacterial agent, but with a very selective activity.

Curcumin and Selenium Prevent Lipopolysaccharide/Diclofenac-Induced Liver Injury by Suppressing Inflammation and Oxidative Stress

Diclofenac (DCL), an anti-inflammatory drug used to reduce pain and inflammation, ranks in the top causes of drug-induced liver injury. The inflammatory stress induced by inflammagens is implicated in DCL-induced liver injury. Curcumin (CUR) and selenium (Se) possess anti-inflammatory effects; therefore, this study evaluated their protective potential against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/DCL-induced liver injury. Rats received CUR and/or Se for 7 days followed by a single intravenous administration of LPS 2 h before a single injection of DCL and two other doses of CUR and/or Se 2 and 8 h after DCL. Administration of nontoxic doses of LPS and DCL resulted in liver damage evidenced by the significantly elevated liver function markers in serum. LPS/DCL-induced liver injury was confirmed by histological alterations, increased lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide, and diminished glutathione and superoxide dismutase. CUR and/or Se prevented liver injury, histological alterations, and oxidative stress and boosted antioxidant defenses in LPS/DCL-induced rats. In addition, CUR and/or Se reduced serum C-reactive protein, liver pro-inflammatory cytokines, and the expression of TLR4, NF-κB, JNK, and p38, and upregulated heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). In conclusion, CUR and/or Se mitigated LPS/DCL-induced liver injury in rats by suppressing TLR4 signaling, inflammation, and oxidative stress and boosting HO-1 and other antioxidants. Therefore, CUR and Se can hinder the progression and severity of liver injury during acute inflammatory episodes.

Selenium attenuates diclofenac-induced testicular and epididymal toxicity in rats

The adverse effect of diclofenac administration on the male reproductive organ in both humans and rats has been reported. Selenium, a trace element vital in nutrition, plays a significant part in cellular redox homeostasis, including male reproduction. However, the impact of selenium on male reproductive toxicity associated with diclofenac administration is lacking in the literature. The current investigation assessed the modulatory effects of selenium on diclofenac-mediated reproductive toxicity in rats. Rats were treated for fourteen consecutive days, either with diclofenac (10 mg/kg) or co-treated with selenium (0.125 and 0.25 mg/kg) body weight. Sperm parameters, enzymes of testicular function, luteinizing, follicle-stimulating hormone and testosterone were assessed in addition to oxidative stress indices and histopathological changes. Selenium significantly alleviated diclofenac-induced decreases in sperm count and motility, testicular function enzymes and levels of luteinizing hormone and testosterone in serum. Moreover, selenium co-administration at 0.125 and 0.25 mg/kg inhibited the diclofenac-induced decrease of antioxidant enzyme activities and increased oxidative stress parameters-lipid peroxidation, reactive nitrogen and oxygen species-in epididymis and testes of rats. Selenium (0.25 mg/kg) alone ameliorated diclofenac-mediated histological injuries in exposed rats. Collectively, selenium enhanced testicular and epididymal function in diclofenac-treated rats by suppressing nitrosative and oxidative stress in rats.