Curcumin
Phytochemicals

Author: irene carnino
Date: 20/02/2009

Description

Carnino Irene e Gaido Cecilia

Description

La curcumina è il principale componente biologicamente attivo del Turmerico,facente parte della famiglia del ginger e dello zenzero: le Zingiberaceae .
La curcumina è uno dei composti chimici usati dalle piante contro gli insetti loro nemici in una costante reciproca evoluzione dei meccanismi di attacco e di difesa.
La sua formula chimica è C 21 H 20 O 6 ed è conosciuta anche come diferuloilmetano.

La curcumina ha proprietà analgesiche, antiartritiche,antiinfiammatorie, antiossidanti, battericide, colagoghe, digestive, diuretiche,ipotensive, insetticide. Sono in corso di studio le eventuali proprietà antiangiogenetiche e antimitotiche ,ma per ora i risultati sono discordanti.

Classification

RegnoPlantae
Sottoregnotracheobionta
Divisionespermatophyta
Sottodivisioneangiospermae
Classeliliopsida
Sottoclassezingiberidae
Ordinezingiberales
Famigliazingiberaceae
Generecurcuma
Speciecurcuma longa

Pharmacokinetic

A causa dello scarso assorbimento della curcumina la biodisponibilità risulta essere bassa; recenti studi hanno dimostrato che essa può essere aumentata con la contemporanea somministrazione orale di piperina(presente nel pepe nero) che inibisce la coniugazione con l’acido glucuronico.
Il picco di concentrazione plasmatica viene raggiunto dopo 1-2 ore dalla somministrazione orale con un declino graduale nell’arco di 12 ore.

Molecular mechanism

The mechanism by which curcumin induces its anti-inflammatory effects is the up-regulation of receptors PPAR-γ
PPARs belong to the superfamily of nuclear receptors consisting of three genes that give rise to three different subtypes, PPAR-α, PPAR-δ and PPAR-γ. Among them, PPAR-γ is the most studied form. The effects of PPAR-γ ligands are associated with the reduction of IkB kinase complex, JNK activation, and reduction of AP-1 and NF-kB pathways .
Recent studies report that curcumin can stop the production of TNF and block its action by the PPAR up-regulation.
Furthermore numerous studies have shown the importance of curcumin as a potent immunomudulatory agent in T cells, B cells, neutrophils, natural killer cells, dendritic cells and macrophages. Curcumin reduces also the number of neutrophils (inducing their apoptosis), their migration from blood vessels to inflamed tissues and the myeloperoxidase release.
Curcumin, moreover, shows the property IN VITRO to inhibit COX1 and COX2 enzimes, involved in inflammatory reactions.
Curcumin is also a strong antioxidant compared to vitamins C and E.
Curcumin acts as a free radical scavenger and antioxidant, inhibiting lipid peroxidation and oxidative DNA damage.

Beneficial effects

Le proprietà antinfiammatorie della Curcumina possono essere sfruttate nel trattamento di:

  • artrite e morbo di Crohn: inibizione della produzione e dell’azione del TNFα
  • psoriasi: prodotti topici che inibiscono la produzione di TNFα
  • morbo di Alzheimer: la curcumina si può legare alla proteina β-amiloide impedendo così la formazione di placche senili
  • cancro di colon, mammella, prostata, polmone e pelle: esperimenti in vitro su cellule tumorali hanno evidenziato l’azione citotossica della curcumina, anche se resta poco chiaro il suo meccanismo d’azione (inibizione di COX2, delle molecole d’adesione, dei recettori di VEGF)
  • ferite: la Curcumina accelera la guarigione delle ferite aumentando la produzione di fibronectina e collagene da parte dei fibroblasti e promuovendo la formazione di tessuto di granulazione

Side-effects and toxicity

Diversi studi hanno dimostrato che la curcumina non è tossica per l’uomo fino a 8000mg/die (l’equivalente di 16capsule!!!).
Dosi eccessive di curcumina possono causare disordini gastrici , per esempio pirosi. Inoltre è controindicata in patologie ostruttive delle vie biliari. In animali da esperimento sottoposti a terapia prolungata di farmaci contenenti curcuma è stata riportata epatotossicità.
Un altro effetto collaterale della curcumina è la sua proprietà di chelante del ferro e di repressore della sintesi di epcidina ,una piccola proteina (un ormone: sostanza che porta informazioni anche lontano dalla sede di produzione) responsabile della regolazione del riciclo del ferro e dell'equilibrio del ferro corporeo. L'epcidina regola l'assorbimento del ferro dall'intestino ed il suo rilascio dai macrofagi (le cellule di deposito coinvolte anche nel sistema immunitario).

Additional information on Dietary Curcumin

Comments
2018-11-08T23:15:14 - Gianpiero Pescarmona

Curcuminoids Modulate the PKCδ/NADPH Oxidase/Reactive Oxygen Species Signaling Pathway and Suppress Matrix Invasion during Monocyte-Macrophage Differentiation. 2015

Monocyte recruitment and invasion play critical roles in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. The reduction in monocyte adhesion and infiltration is thought to exert antiatherosclerotic effects. Curcumin, demethoxycurcumin (DMC), and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) are the major active components of curcuminoids and exhibit several biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, and hypocholesterolemic activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the antiatherogenic effects and mechanisms of curcuminoids during monocyte to macrophage differentiation. The results showed that curcumin, DMC, and BDMC (20 μM) suppressed matrix invasion from 100.0 ± 5.0% to 24.8 ± 1.4%, 26.6 ± 2.9%, and 33.7 ± 1.7%, respectively, during PMA-induced THP-1 differentiation. We found that curcuminoids significantly reduced PMA-induced CD11b and MMP-9 expression by THP-1 cells. Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by PMA (126.7 ± 2.1%) was markedly attenuated by curcumin, DMC, and BDMC to 99.5 ± 7.8%, 87.8 ± 8.2%, and 89.8 ± 7.6%, respectively, resulting in the down-regulation of CD11b and MMP-9 expression. We demonstrated that curcuminoids inhibited NADPH oxidase through the down-regulation of NOX2 expression and the reduction of p47phox membrane translocation. Moreover, we found involvement of PKCδ in the PMA-induced NOX2, CD11b, and MMP-9 mRNA expression. Curcumin, DMC, and BDMC decreased the active form of PKCδ protein stimulated by PMA in THP-1 cells. Overall, our results reveal that curcuminoids suppress matrix invasion through the inhibition of the PKCδ/NADPH oxidase/ROS signaling pathway during monocyte-macrophage differentiation.


Decreased activity of neutrophils in the presence of diferuloylmethane (curcumin) involves protein kinase C inhibition. 2009

Diferuloylmethane (curcumin) has been shown to act beneficially in arthritis, particularly through downregulated expression of proinflammatory cytokines and collagenase as well as through the modulated activities of T lymphocytes and macrophages.

Curcuma longa extract associated with white pepper lessens high fat diet-induced inflammation in subcutaneous adipose tissue. 2013

Curcumin prevents high fat diet induced insulin resistance and obesity via attenuating lipogenesis in liver and inflammatory pathway in adipocytes. 2012

curcumin and weight loss
curcumin and weight gain

Curcumin cancer cells apoptosis 2018

Curcumin Mimics the Neurocognitive and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Caloric Restriction in a Mouse Model of Midlife Obesity.2015

  • Abstract
    Dietary curcumin was studied for its potential to decrease adiposity and reverse obesity- associated cognitive impairment in a mouse model of midlife sedentary obesity. We hypothesized that curcumin intake, by decreasing adiposity, would improve cognitive function in a manner comparable to caloric restriction (CR), a weight loss regimen. 15-month-old male C57BL/6 mice were assigned in groups to receive the following dietary regimens for 12 weeks: (i) a base diet (Ain93M) fed ad libitum (AL), (ii) the base diet restricted to 70% of ad libitum (CR) or (iii) the base diet containing curcumin fed AL (1000 mg/kg diet, CURAL). Blood markers of inflammation, interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP), as well as an indicator of redox stress (GSH: GSSG ratio), were determined at different time points during the treatments, and visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue were measured upon completion of the experiment. After 8 weeks of dietary treatment, the mice were tested for spatial cognition (Morris water maze) and cognitive flexibility (discriminated active avoidance). The CR group showed significant weight loss and reduced adiposity, whereas CURAL mice had stable weight throughout the experiment, consumed more food than the AL group, with no reduction of adiposity. However, both CR and CURAL groups took fewer trials than AL to reach criterion during the reversal sessions of the active avoidance task, suggesting an improvement in cognitive flexibility. The AL mice had higher levels of CRP compared to CURAL and CR, and GSH as well as the GSH: GSSG ratio were increased during curcumin intake, suggesting a reducing shift in the redox state. The results suggest that, independent of their effects on adiposity; dietary curcumin and caloric restriction have positive effects on frontal cortical functions that could be linked to anti-inflammatory or antioxidant actions.

The natural phenolic compounds as modulators of NADPH oxidases in hypertension, 2019

AddThis Social Bookmark Button