Systemic Amelioration via Curcumin in Rats following Splenectomy: Lipid Profile, Endothelial and Oxidative Damage

Abstract

Background

We investigated the postsurgical effects of splenectomy with additional curcumin therapy, as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory substance among the lipid profile and histopathological changes.

Materials and Methods

32 rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group (L): laparotomy, sham group: splenectomy (S), splenectomy group treated with curcumin (SC) and splenectomy group treated with corn oil (SCO) for 28 days. The primary outcomes; total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and lectin-type oxidized LDL receptor 1 (LOX-1), secondary outcomes: nuclear factor kappa B (NF-кB), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured. Histopathological changes were examined in vascular, intestinal and lung tissues. The analysis was performed by ANOVA.

Results

TG, LDL, ox-LDL, and LOX-1 elevated in S group while reduced by curcumin compared with L group (p < 0.05). Serum and tissue levels of NF-кB and MDA were higher in S group and lower in SC group than L group (p < 0.05). Serum and intestinal levels of SOD and GPx increased in L group while reduced by curcumin (p < 0.05). Total histopathological scores of intestinal tissues were higher in S and SCO groups compared to L and SC groups (p < 0.05). No major changes in vascular and lung tissues were observed except the lymphoid follicles which was higher in S and SCO groups compared to L and SC groups (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Curcumin partially improved the lipid profile dysfunction by modulating NF-кB, MDA, SOD, and GPx in splenectomized rats while less likely improving any vascular and alveolar regeneration.

KEYWORDS:

• Curcumin
• lipid profile
• splenectomy
• nuclear factor kappa B
• antioxidant
• anti-inflammatory

Acknowledgment

The preliminary study was presented as poster in ESCP's 11th Scientific and Annual Meeting 28–30 September 2016 in Milan and as a poster presentation following the final results at the Joint Meeting of the Federation of European Physiological Societies and the Austrian Physiological Society (FEPS 2017), Vienna, Austria, 13–15 July 2017.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest with any organization.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the authorship, and publication of this article.