J Cancer Prev.  2018 Mar;23(1):18-24. 10.15430/JCP.2018.23.1.18.

Comparative Effects of Curcumin and Tetrahydrocurcumin on Dextran Sulfate Sodium-induced Colitis and Inflammatory Signaling in Mice

• Yang JY
• Zhong X
• Kim SJ
• Kim DH
• Kim HS
• Lee JS
• Yum HW
• Lee J
• Na HK
• Surh YJ

• KMID: 2416948
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.15430/JCP.2018.23.1.18

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Curcumin, a yellow ingredient of turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn, Zingiberaceae), has long been used in traditional folk medicine in the management of inflammatory disorders. Although curcumin has been reported to inhibit experimentally-induced colitis and carcinogenesis, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unresolved.
METHODS
Murine colitis was induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) which mimics inflammatory bowel disease. Curcumin or tetrahydrocurcumin was given orally (0.1 or 0.25 mmol/kg body weight daily) for 7 days before and together with DSS administration (3% in tap water). Collected colon tissue was used for histologic and biochemical analyses.
RESULTS
Administration of curcumin significantly attenuated the severity of DSS-induced colitis and the activation of NF-κB and STAT3 as well as expression of COX-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase. In contrast to curcumin, its non-electrophilic analogue, tetrahydrocurcumin has much weaker inhibitory effects.
CONCLUSIONS
Intragastric administration of curcumin inhibited the experimentally induced murine colitis, which was associated with inhibition of pro-inflammatory signaling mediated by NF-κB and STAT3.

Keyword

Curcumin; Dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis; NF-κB; STAT3; Tetrahydrocurcumin

MeSH Terms

Animals
Body Weight
Carcinogenesis
Colitis*
Colon
Curcuma
Curcumin*
Dextran Sulfate*
Dextrans*
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Medicine, Traditional
Mice*
Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
Curcumin
Dextran Sulfate
Dextrans
Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II