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Curcumin Alleviates Methotrexate-Induced Neurobehavioral Deficits and Modulates the Redox-Inflammatory-Neurotrophic
Durmuş Ali Aslanlar1, Mehmet Oz2, Mehmet Emre Ay3
1Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Pharmacology, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkiye.
Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology
|June 25, 2026
Summary
Curcumin protects against methotrexate-induced neurotoxicity by restoring redox balance and modulating inflammatory and neurotrophic signaling, improving behavior in mice.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Methotrexate (MTX) chemotherapy can cause central nervous system toxicity.
- This toxicity is linked to oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and behavioral changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if curcumin can mitigate MTX-induced neurotoxicity.
- To explore curcumin's effects on redox balance and inflammatory-neurotrophic signaling pathways.
Main Methods:
- BALB/c mice were divided into control, MTX, MTX+curcumin, and curcumin groups.
- Behavioral tests (open field, elevated plus maze, tail suspension) were used.
- Serum and hippocampal levels of TNF-α, BDNF, TAS, TOS, and OSI were measured.
Main Results:
- MTX induced anxiety, depression, elevated TNF-α, increased oxidative stress (TOS, OSI), and reduced TAS and BDNF.
- Curcumin pretreatment reversed these MTX-induced effects.
- Behavioral improvements correlated with biochemical recovery, especially in the hippocampus.
Conclusions:
- Curcumin attenuates MTX-induced neurobehavioral deficits and biochemical alterations.
- Curcumin's protective effects involve restoring redox homeostasis and modulating TNF-α/BDNF signaling.
- Curcumin shows potential for mitigating chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity.
