Curcumin As Anti-Oxidative Stress In Iron Toxicity

Iron is an important element for normal cellular physiology, but an excess might induce the formation of oxygen free radicals (1). Thus, in the present study the oxidative stress induced by chronic iron intoxication ws investigated by analysis of some enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants: superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ceruloplasmin (Cp), glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (AsA) in liver and spleen homogenates of treated and control rats. The average values of TBARS, NO and OH radicals were significantly (p<0.001) elevated in iron-overloaded rat groups compared with the corresponding control group. The average amount of iron was significantly (p<0.001) elevated whereas that of copper was significantly (p<0.001) reduced in iron-overloaded rat groups. Inversely, the administration of curcumin as iron-chelating agent with SOD- and CAT-like activities before setting the iron overload improved the above biochemical parameters (2). The administration of curcumin as iron chelating therapy ameliorated the oxidative stress of excess iron either by decreasing iron level or by scavenging reactive oxygen intermediates, which could be clinically useful.

References: 1. Lucesoli F, Caligiuri M, Roberti MF, Perazzo JC, Fraga CG (1999) Arch Biochem Biophys 372(1): 37–43

2. Abou-Seif M, Badria F, and Houssein W ((2004) Arab J Lab Med 30(2): 193–206).