A Comparative Study on the Antioxidant and Glucose-lowering Effects of Curcumin and Bisdemethoxycurcumin Analog through in vitro Assays

Subjective biosafety assessment of bisdemethoxycurcumin from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa

Introduction/Background: Curcuma longa, a plant native to the Indian subcontinent has a variety of biological activities. Curcumin is the most abundant and biologically active compound with many therapeutic properties. Demethoxycurcumin (DMC) and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) - the two other bioactive components present in Curcuma longa, besides curcumin, are collectively termed curcuminoids. Apart from the well-known curcumin, BDMC also has been reported to possess promising biological and pharmacological effects, but very little scientific evidence on its safety assessment has been published.Objective: The present study was undertaken to determine the safety of pure BDMC from Curcuma longa extract in rodents which comprises of general toxicity (both four weeks and three months duration), reproductive/developmental toxicity and genotoxicity studies.Methods: The Good Laboratory Practice studies were carried out in accordance with the test guidelines established by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.Results: No treatment-related adverse findings were seen in general toxicity testing and a no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of 1000 mg/kg/day was established after four weeks (sub-acute) and three-months (sub-chronic) dosing. Evaluation of fertility, embryo-fetal, and post-natal reproductive and developmental parameters also showed no adverse findings with a NOAEL of 1000 mg/kg/day established. The results of genotoxicity as evaluated by in vitro reverse mutation assay, and in vivo micronucleus test in mice indicate that BDMC did not induce any genotoxic effects.Conclusion: Oral administration of BDMC is safe in rodents and non-mutagenic, with no adverse effects under experimental conditions.

M, Thazhathidath S. Assessment of Safety Profile of Activated Curcumin C3 Complex (AC3®), Enriched Extract of Bisdemethoxycurcumin from the Rhizomes of Curcuma longa

The present work was carried out to investigate the toxic effects of Activated Curcumin C3 Complex (AC3®) through the methods of acute, subacute, subchronic, reproductive/developmental toxicity, and genotoxicity when administered orally in experimental rodents. The studies were carried out in line with OECD principles of good laboratory practice. A single-dose acute oral toxicity study was conducted on female Wistar rats that produced no toxic effects after 14 days (the observation period) of treatment. Subacute, subchronic, and reproductive/developmental studies were conducted in Wistar rats, divided equally into vehicle control, 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg dose groups along with recovery groups for vehicle control and high dose. In all the studies, there were no abnormal clinical signs/behavioral changes, reproductive and developmental parameters, or gross and histopathological changes. Likewise, no alteration was found in the body weight, hematology, and other biochemical parameters. Also, it did not show mutagenicity in the in vitro AMES test or clastogenicity and aneugenicity in the in vivo micronucleus test, indicating that AC3® did not induce any genotoxic effects. This revealed that oral administration of AC3® is safe in rodents, nonmutagenic, and had no observed adverse effects under experimental conditions.

Investigating Polyphenol Nanoformulations for Therapeutic Targets against Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a fatal metabolic disorder, and its prevalence has escalated in recent decades to a greater extent. Since the incidence and severity of the disease are constantly increasing, plenty of therapeutic approaches are being considered as a promising solution. Many dietary polyphenols have been reported to be effective against diabetes along with its accompanying vascular consequences by targeting multiple therapeutic targets. Additionally, the biocompatibility of these polyphenols raises questions about their use as pharmacological mediators. Nevertheless, the pharmacokinetic and biopharmaceutical properties of these polyphenols limit their clinical benefit as therapeutics. Pharmaceutical industries have attempted to improve compliance and therapeutic effects. However, nanotechnological approaches to overcome the pharmacokinetic and biopharmaceutical barriers associated with polyphenols as antidiabetic medications have been shown to be effective to improve clinical compliance and efficacy. Therefore, this review highlighted a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of polyphenol nanoformulations in the treatment of diabetes and vascular consequences.

Synthetic curcumin analog: inhibiting the invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis in human laryngeal carcinoma cells via NF-kB pathway

BACKGROUND

Laryngeal carcinoma, the most common among head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), induces 1% of all cancer deaths. Curcumin the active constituent of turmeric, is shown to be effective in the treatment of various cancers. In the present study, we explored the mechanistic role of bis-demethoxy curcumin analog (BDMC-A) as a chemotherapeutic agent. We investigated its inhibitory effect on invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis in human laryngeal carcinoma (Hep-2) cells in comparison with curcumin.

METHODS

The effect of curcumin and BDMC-A on transcription factors (NF-κB, p65, c-Jun, c-Fos, STAT3, 5, PPAR-γ, β-catenin, COX-2, MMP-9, VEGF, TIMP-2) involved in signal transduction cascade, invasion, and angiogenesis in Hep-2 cells were quantified using Western blotting and RT-PCR technique. ELISA was used to measure the pro-inflammatory markers in Hep-2 cells treated with curcumin and BDMC-A.

RESULTS

The results showed that BDMC-A inhibits the transcription factors NF-κB, p65, c-Jun, c-Fos, STAT3, STAT5, PPAR-γ and β-catenin, which are responsible for tumor progression and malignancy. Moreover, BDMC-A treatment downregulated MMP-9, VEGF, TGF- β, IL-6 and IL-8 and upregulated TIMP-2 levels. The effects were more significant compared to curcumin.

CONCLUSION

Our overall results revealed that BDMC-A more effectively inhibited the markers of invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis in comparison with curcumin.

Therapeutic Applications of Curcumin and its Novel Formulations in the Treatment of Bladder Cancer: A Review of Current Evidence

Bladder cancer, a life-threatening serious disease, is responsible for thousands of cancer-associated deaths worldwide. Similar to other malignancies, standard treatments of bladder cancer, such as Chemoradiotherapy, are not efficient enough in the affected patients. It means that, according to recent reports in the case of life quality as well as the survival time of bladder cancer patients, there is a critical requirement for exploring effective treatments. Recently, numerous investigations have been carried out to search for appropriate complementary treatments or adjuvants for bladder cancer therapy. Curcumin, a phenolic component with a wide spectrum of biological activities, has recently been introduced as a potential anti-cancer agent. It has been shown that this agent exerts its therapeutic effects via targeting a wide range of cellular and molecular pathways involved in bladder cancer. Herein, the current data on curcumin therapy for bladder cancer are summarized.

The effect of 8 plant extracts and combinations on post-prandial blood glucose and insulin responses in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Lower post-prandial glucose (PPG) and insulin (PPI) responses to foods are associated with reduced diabetes risk and progression. Several plant extracts have been proposed to reduce PPG or PPI by inhibiting enzymes or transporters involved in carbohydrate digestion and uptake. This study evaluates a range of such extracts, consumed with a carbohydrate load, for their effects on PPG, PPI and indicators of (gastrointestinal) tolerance.

METHODS

Interventions were extracts of mulberry fruit (MFE, 1.5 g), mulberry leaf (MLE, 1.0 g), white bean (WBE, 3.0 g), apple (AE, 2.0 g), elderberry (EE, 2.0 g), turmeric (TE, 0.18 g), AE + TE, and EE + TE. Each of these 8 individual extracts or combinations were added to a rice porridge containing ~ 50 g available carbohydrate (control). In a within-subject (randomised, balanced incomplete block) design, individual subjects received the control and a subset of 4 of the 8 extracts or combinations. Participants were 72 apparently healthy adults (mean [SD] age 31.2 [5.5] yr, body mass index 22.1 [2.0] kg/m2). The primary outcome was the percentage change in 2-h PPG (positive incremental area under the curve) relative to control. Secondary measures were the 2-h PPI response, 7-h breath hydrogen, measures of gastrointestinal discomfort, and urine glucose.

RESULTS

In the 65 subjects who completed the control and at least one intervention treatment, additions of AE, MFE and MLE produced statistically significant reductions in PPG vs control (p < 0.05; mean effect - 24.1 to - 38.1%). All extracts and combinations except TE and WBE significantly reduced PPI (p < 0.01; mean effect - 17.3% to - 30.4%). Rises in breath hydrogen > 10 ppm were infrequent, but statistically more frequent than control only for MLE (p = 0.02). Scores for gastrointestinal discomfort were extremely low and not different from control for any treatment, and no glucosuria was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Additions of AE, MFE and MLE to rice robustly reduced PPG and PPI. EE significantly reduced only PPI, while TE and WBE showed no significant efficacy for PPG or PPI. Breath hydrogen responses to MLE suggest possible carbohydrate malabsorption at the dose used, but there were no explicit indications of intolerance to any of the extracts.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04258501. Registered 6 February 2020 - Retrospectively registered.

Promising anti-tumor properties of bisdemethoxycurcumin: A naturally occurring curcumin analogue

Curcuminoids are turmeric-extracted phytochemicals with documented chemopreventive and anti-tumor activities against several types of malignancies. Curcuminoids can modulate several molecular pathways and cellular targets involved in different stages of tumor initiation, growth, and metastasis. Bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) is a minor constituent (approximately 3%) of curcuminoids that has been shown to be more stable than the other two main curcuminoids, that is, curcumin and demthoxycurcumin. Recent studies have revealed that BDMC has anti-tumor effects exerted through a multimechanistic mode of action involving inhibition of cell proliferation, invasion and migration, metastasis and tumour growth, and induction of apoptotic death in cancer cells. The present review discusses the findings on the anti-tumor effects of BDMC, underlying mechanisms, and the relevance of finding for translational studies in human.