Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 9, 2026

Author Spotlight: Eco-friendly Photoluminescent Textile Authentication with Curcumin
Published on: December 22, 2023
Cyclocurcumin, an Antivasoconstrictive Constituent of Curcuma longa (Turmeric)
Keunyoung Kim1, Jung-Jun Kim1, Yeryeon Jung1
1College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University , Seoul 08826, Korea.
Abstract:
Despite the increasing attention on the therapeutic potential of Curcuma longa (turmeric), the biological activities of curcuminoids other than curcumin are not well understood. Here, we investigated antivasoconstrictive activities of C. longa extract and its ingredients using freshly isolated rat aortic rings. C. longa extract significantly suppressed agonist-stimulated vasoconstriction, and cyclocurcumin was found to be the most potent (IC50 against phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction: 14.9 ± 1.0 μM) among the 10 tested ingredients including four curcuminoids. Cyclocurcumin significantly inhibited contraction of vascular smooth muscle, which was mediated by the suppression of myosin-light-chain phosphorylation and calcium influx via the L-type calcium channel. The inhibitory effect of cyclocurcumin was observed to be reversible and without cytotoxicity. Taken together, we demonstrated that cyclocurcumin, a bioactive ingredient in C. longa, may have a therapeutic potential as a novel antivasoconstrictive natural product.
Related Concept Videos
Vascular Spasm
Antihypertensive Drugs: Vasodilators
Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacological Actions
Antiasthma Drugs: Muscarinic Receptor Antagonists
Antimuscarinic agents compete with ACh for the same binding site on the muscarinic receptors. By binding to these receptors, they inhibit the downstream effects of ACh and block the parasympathetic...
Spasmolytic Agents: Chemical Classification
A major class of centrally acting spasmolytics is the α2-agonist, such as tizanidine. These drugs bind to α2-adrenoceptors, inhibiting the release of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. They also...
Veins
Structure of Veins:
The structure of veins is specifically designed to assist in the low-pressure transportation of...

