Protective Effect of Curcuma longa Against CCL4 Induced Oxidative Stress and Cellular Degeneration in Rats

Curcuma Longa is a member of the Zingiberaceae or ginger family. The plant is native to India and is the source of its culinary spice known as Turmeric and its medicinal extract called Curcumin. In the present study, the protective effect of Curcuma longa extract against the acute hepatotoxicity of carbon tetrachloride (CC14) was investigated Intraperitoneal injection of rats with CC14 drastically decreased total protein, immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM and IgA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and glutathione (GSH) level and increased nitric oxide (NO) production, y glutamyl transferase (y GT), glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (AST), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (ALT) levels. Daily Oral administration of 80 mg/kg curcuma longa powder for four weeks prior to CC14 injection alleviated CC14-suppresslve effect on SOD activity and GSH level and prevented CCl4-induced NO production, y GT, AST, ALT levels and became nearly to normal. Histopathological examination of liver tissues in the group treated with curcuma longa powder prior to and after CCL, injection showed mild degenerative changes of the hepatocytes and hepatic cells regeneration respectively, however, no multifocal necrosis was observed. Moreover, injection of rats with CC14 caused a significant reduction of RBCs count, PCV%, HB content and WBCs count, while oral administration of curcumin before CC14 injection reduced the suppressive effect of CC14 on RBCs count, PCV%, HB content and WBCs count. These results indicated that curcuma longa powder administration has a protective effect against the CC14-mediated hepatotoxicity and endotoxemia through down regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NO production and up-regulation of the antioxidant factors mainly GSH and SOD.