Curcumin Alleviates Oxidative Stress, Neuroinflammation, and Promotes Behavioral Recovery After Traumatic Brain Injury.

BACKGROUND

Neuroinflammation and oxidative stress after traumatic brain injury (TBI) can further lead to neuronal apoptosis, which plays a crucial role in the process of neuron death. Curcumin, which is derived from the rhizome of the Curcuma longa plant, has multiple pharmacological effects.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to investigate whether curcumin treatment has neuroprotective effects after TBI, and to elucidate the underlying mechanism.

METHODS

A total of 124 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: Sham group, TBI group, TBI+Vehicle group, and TBI+Curcumin group. The TBI mice model used in this study was constructed with TBI device induced by compressed gas, and 50 mg/kg curcumin was injected intraperitoneally 15 minutes after TBI. Then, the blood-brain barrier permeability, cerebral edema, oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis-related protein, and behavioral tests of neurological function were utilized to evaluate the protective effect of curcumin after TBI.

RESULTS

Curcumin treatment markedly alleviated post-trauma cerebral edema and blood-brain barrier integrity, and suppressed neuronal apoptosis, reduced mitochondrial injury and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins. Moreover, curcumin also attenuates TBI-induced inflammatory response and oxidative stress in brain tissue and improves cognitive dysfunction after TBI.

CONCLUSION

These data provide substantial evidence that curcumin has neuroprotective effects in animal TBI models, possibly through the inhibition of inflammatory response and oxidative stress.