Vascular Effects of Photodynamic Therapy with Curcumin in a Chorioallantoic Membrane Model.

Hilde Buzzá,Lilian Moriyama,Ramon Teixeira Rosa,Lucas Fialho De Freitas,Cristina Kurachi,Vanderlei Bagnato

doi:10.3390/ijms20051084

Abstract

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a treatment that requires light, a photosensitizing agent, and molecular oxygen. The photosensitizer is activated by light and it interacts with the oxygen that is present in the cellular microenvironment. The molecular oxygen is transformed into singlet oxygen, which is highly reactive and responsible for the cell death. Therefore, PS is an important element for the therapy happens, including its concentration. Curcumin is a natural photosensitizer and it has demonstrated its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects that inhibit several signal transduction pathways. PDT vascular effects of curcumin at concentrations varying from 0.1 to 10 mM/cm2 and topical administration were investigated in a chick Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) model. The irradiation was performed at 450 nm, irradiance of 50 mW/cm2 during 10 min, delivering a total fluence of 30 J/cm2. The vascular effect was followed after the application of curcumin, with images being obtained each 30 min in the first 3 h, 12 h, and 24 h. Those images were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed with a MatLAB®. Curcumin was expected to exhibit a vascular effect due to its angio-inhibitory effect. Using curcumin as photosensitizer, PDT induced a higher and faster vascular effect when compared to the use of this compound alone.

Highlights

Curcumin is a compound derived from the turmeric root that was traditionally used for coloring and flavoring food
One of the most important actions of curcumin is the inhibition of induction pathways of pro angiogenic factor—FGF-1—property that can be used in therapies that aim towards the inhibition of new blood vessel formation [10]
We investigated the effects of curcumin in the Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) model

Summary

Introduction

Curcumin is a compound derived from the turmeric root that was traditionally used for coloring and flavoring food. Curcumin shows no toxic effects in human, including high doses, with 6 g/day during seven weeks [7] or 12 g/day [6] and efforts have been made as topical administration and encapsulation in nanoparticles [8,9]. It has been potentially tested in the treatment of cancer of pancreas and colon, psoriasis, and Alzheimer disease, as it reaches molecules, such as growth factor, transcription factors, and cytokines that are involved in the etiology of several diseases [4]. One of the most important actions of curcumin is the inhibition of induction pathways of pro angiogenic factor—FGF-1—property that can be used in therapies that aim towards the inhibition of new blood vessel formation [10]

Methods

Results

Conclusion