Amelioration of cognitive deficits and neurodegeneration by curcumin in rat model of sporadic dementia of Alzheimer's type (SDAT)

Tauheed Ishrat, Md Nasrul Hoda, M. Badruzzaman Khan, Seema Yousuf, Muzamil Ahmad, Mohd Moshahid Khan, Ajmal Ahmad, Fakhrul Islam

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

202 Scopus citations

Abstract

Recent evidence indicates that curcumin (CUR), the principal curcuminoid of turmeric, exhibits antioxidant potential and protects the brain against various oxidative stressors. The aim of the present study was to examine the modulating impacts of CUR against cognitive deficits and oxidative damage in intracerebroventricular-streptozotocin (ICV-STZ) infused rats. Rats were injected bilaterally with ICV-STZ (3 mg/kg), while sham rats received the same volume of vehicle and then supplemented with CUR (80 mg/kg) for three weeks. After two weeks of ICV-STZ infusion, rats were tested for cognitive performance using passive avoidance and water maze tasks and then sacrificed for biochemical and histopathological assays. ICV-STZ rats showed significant cognitive deficits, which were significantly improved by CUR supplementation. CUR supplementation significantly augmented increased 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and malonaldehyde (MDA), thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), protein carbonyl (PC) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG); decreased levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and its dependent enzymes (Glutathione peroxidase [GPx] and glutathione reductase [GR]) in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex; and increased choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity in the hippocampus of ICV-STZ rats. The study suggests that CUR is effective in preventing cognitive deficits, and might be beneficial for the treatment of sporadic dementia of Alzheimer's type (SDAT).

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)636-647
Number of pages12
JournalEuropean Neuropsychopharmacology
Volume19
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2009

Keywords

  • Alzheimer's disease
  • Choline acetyltransferase
  • Cognitive deficits
  • Curcumin
  • Oxidative stress
  • Streptozotocin

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology
  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Biological Psychiatry
  • Pharmacology (medical)

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Amelioration of cognitive deficits and neurodegeneration by curcumin in rat model of sporadic dementia of Alzheimer's type (SDAT)'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this