227 - Neuroprotective efficacy of curcumin in lead (Pb) induced inflammation and cholinergic dysfunction in mice

Abstract

Curcumin from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa has many pharmacological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cancer preventive properties. This study was designed to assess the protective effect of Curcumin against lead induced neurotoxicity. ICR mice were exposed to lead acetate (Pb) in drinking water (1%) with or without orally administrated Curcumin (100 and 200 mg/kgBW) and Vitamine E, the antioxidant positive control, once daily for 38 days. The results exhibited that Curcumin significantly protected against Pb induced learning deficit and memory loss in a concentration dependent manner, indicated by Water maze swimming test and Forced depression test. Pb induced a profound alteration of circulating Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), alteration inflammatory markers, TNF-α, COX-2 and iNOS, and elevation of oxidative damage, as evidenced by increasing lipid peroxide (malondialdehyde, MDA) levels in blood and brain tissues of mice as found in mice-treated with Vitamine E. The toxic effects of Pb may be mitigated by Curcumin and Vitamine E due to ameliorated inflammatory markers and increased expression of ChAT and AChE proteins lead to increased AChE activity in the brain compared to Pb alone, as shown by Western blot analysis. Taken together, these results suggested that Curcumin significantly alleviates Pb induced neurotoxicity, at least in part, by suppression inflammation, oxidative damage, alteration in neurotransmitter and enzyme expression (AChE and ChAT) with a reduction learning deficit and memory loss.