Modulation of radioresponse of glyoxalase system by curcumin

Human beings have been exposed to radiation for many years. It is quite possible that antioxidant phytochemicals consumed in their diet might be providing a variable degree of radioprotection. However, their radiomodifying ability is not well understood. In the present work, curcumin (diferuloyl methane), a phytochemical present in the rhizome of Curcuma longa Linn. has been examined for its radioprotective property using the glyoxalase system which is vital for various biological functions. Curcumin (5, 25 and 50 mg/kg body weight) in olive oil was given orally to Swiss albino male mice (7-8 weeks old) daily for 2 weeks and irradiated with different doses of gamma-radiation (0-6 Gy) at 0.027 Gy per second dose rate on last day of the treatment. The specific activities of glyoxalase I and II were determined in the liver and spleen. The treatment of curcumin prior to irradiation restored the specific activity of glyoxalase system to almost the control level which was suggestive of the radioprotective ability of curcumin. Free radical scavenging and electron/hydrogen donation are probable attributes for the protective effect of curcumin.