Curcumin alleviates ethanol-induced hepatocytes oxidative damage involving heme oxygenase-1 induction

Curcumin is the main bioactive constituent derived from the rhizome of turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn.), which has been used traditionally as hepatoprotective agents in ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine for centuries.

The present study was carried out to demonstrate the potential protective effect of curcumin pretreatment against ethanol-induced hepatocytes oxidative damage, with emphasis on heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) induction.

Rat primary hepatocytes were isolated and treated with ethanol (100mM) and diverse doses of curcumin (0-50 microM), which was pretreated at various time points (0-5h) before ethanol administration. Hepatic enzyme releases in the culture medium and redox status including HO-1 enzyme activity were detected.

Ethanol exposure resulted in a sustained malondialdehyde (MDA) elevation, glutathione (GSH) depletion and evident release of cellular lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), which was significantly ameliorated by curcumin pretreatment. In addition, dose- and time-dependent induction of HO-1 was involved in such hepatoprotective effects by curcumin.

Curcumin exerts hepatoprotective properties against ethanol involving HO-1 induction, which provide new insights into the pharmacological targets of curcumin in the prevention of alcoholic liver disease.