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Updated: Aug 8, 2025
A Preclinical Controlled Cortical Impact Model for Traumatic Hemorrhage Contusion and Neuroinflammation
Published on: June 10, 2020
Curcumin Alleviates Oxidative Stress, Neuroinflammation, and Promotes Behavioral Recovery After Traumatic Brain
Bing Chen1, Quan-Xing Shi2, Chuang Nie3
1Clinical laboratory, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China.
Background:
Neuroinflammation and oxidative stress after traumatic brain injury (TBI) can further lead to neuronal apoptosis, which plays a crucial role in the process of neuron death. Curcumin, which is derived from the rhizome of the Curcuma longa plant, has multiple pharmacological effects.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to investigate whether curcumin treatment has neuroprotective effects after TBI, and to elucidate the underlying mechanism.
Methods:
A total of 124 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: Sham group, TBI group, TBI+Vehicle group, and TBI+Curcumin group. The TBI mice model used in this study was constructed with TBI device induced by compressed gas, and 50 mg/kg curcumin was injected intraperitoneally 15 minutes after TBI. Then, the blood-brain barrier permeability, cerebral edema, oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis-related protein, and behavioral tests of neurological function were utilized to evaluate the protective effect of curcumin after TBI.
Results:
Curcumin treatment markedly alleviated post-trauma cerebral edema and blood-brain barrier integrity, and suppressed neuronal apoptosis, reduced mitochondrial injury and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins. Moreover, curcumin also attenuates TBI-induced inflammatory response and oxidative stress in brain tissue and improves cognitive dysfunction after TBI.
Conclusion:
These data provide substantial evidence that curcumin has neuroprotective effects in animal TBI models, possibly through the inhibition of inflammatory response and oxidative stress.
