CURCUMIN
Curcumin can be found in Turmeric (hind saffron), which is used as a
spice that gives yellow color. Turmeric (Curcuma longa, Turmeric, Indian
saffron) is a herbaceous perennial herb with yellow flowers, large
leaves and tubers belonging to the ginger family, widely grown in China
and India. It is produced from the yellow powder of the tropical plant
Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae). The most active ingredient of turmeric
spice is curcumin. Curcumin is generally classified as natural and
artificial. Curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, bisdimethoxycurcumin are
naturally occurring compounds 5,6 (Figure-1). Curcumin
is a natural substance that does not show toxic properties in overdose
and has been used in local / topical and general use in eastern
societies, especially in Indian and Chinese traditional medicine, for
skin, gastrointestinal diseases and wound healing. However, the
biological effect and molecular mechanisms of Curcumin have been tried
to be explained with epidemiological, clinical and animal studies7,8.
The antioxidant effects of curcumin are similar to those of vitamins C
and E 9. By facilitating the removal of many reactive
oxygen radicals, especially superoxide anion radicals, nitrogen dioxide
radicals and hydroxyl radicals, this increases the antioxidant ability.
It has been shown to increase the activity of many antioxidant enzymes
such as catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase
(GPx) and both oxygenase-1 (OH-1) 10. It also
suppresses the synthesis of inflammatory prostaglandins that increase
oxidant load 11. One of curcumin’s significant
properties is that it offers defense against processes of
carcinogenesis. It increases the production in the kidneys and liver of
xenobiotic detoxifying enzymes and decreases tumor tissue angiogenesis
by inhibiting metalloproteinases 12,13. In the
cardiovascular system, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), low-density
lipoprotein (LDL), cholesterol and triglyceride levels have been shown
to decrease 14. Furthermore, by inhibiting both the
aggregation and adhesion of platelets via cGMP via NO, it prevents
thrombus formation 15,16.
Due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, curcumin is
believed to be useful in preventing I/R damage to vascular endothelial
cells. In our research, we attempted to determine how much curcumin
decreases systemic oxidant effects and vascular endothelial damage in
rats with experimental I/R damage for this function.