Protective effect of curcumin on chemotherapy-induced intestinal dysfunction

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Science
• Pharmacology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Chemotherapy, a vital cancer treatment, often causes severe intestinal dysfunction, limiting its clinical use.
• Understanding the mechanisms of chemotherapy-induced gut injury is crucial for developing supportive therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the protective effects of Curcumin against chemotherapy-induced intestinal dysfunction in a rat model.
• To evaluate Curcumin's impact on gut barrier integrity, apoptosis, and inflammatory markers following 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) treatment.

Main Methods:

• Sixty Wistar rats were divided into control, 5-FU, and 5-FU+Curcumin groups.
• Evaluated body weight, serum endotoxin, D-lactate, and D-Amino-Acid Oxidase (DAO) levels.
• Assessed intestinal mucosal structure via light and electron microscopy, and protein expression of Bax, Bcl-2, and Caspase-3 using immunohistochemistry.

Main Results:

• Curcumin administration significantly mitigated 5-FU-induced weight loss and reversed elevated serum endotoxin, D-lactate, and DAO levels.
• Histological examination revealed marked recovery of intestinal mucosa structure in Curcumin-treated rats.
• Curcumin reduced pro-apoptotic Bax expression and enhanced anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression, with a moderate effect on Caspase-3.

Conclusions:

• Curcumin demonstrates significant protective effects against 5-FU-induced intestinal dysfunction in rats.
• It improves gut barrier function and modulates apoptotic pathways, reducing intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis.
• Curcumin holds promise for clinical application to alleviate chemotherapy side effects and enhance treatment outcomes.