Counteracting arsenic toxicity: Curcumin to the rescue?

Abstract

Arsenicosis leads to various irreversible damages in several organs and is considered to be a carcinogen. The effects of chronic arsenic poisoning are a result of an imbalance between pro-and antioxidant homeostasis, oxidative stress, as well as DNA and protein damage .Curcumin, the polyphenolic pigment extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma longa , is well-known for its pleiotropic medicinal effects. Curcumin has been shown to have ameliorative effects in arsenic-induced genotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, angiogenesis, skin diseases, reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, and immunotoxicity. This review aims to summarize the scientific evidence on arsenic toxicity in various organs and the ameliorative effects of curcumin on the arsenic toxicity.

Metallothionein Attenuated Arsenic-Induced Cytotoxicity: The Underlying Mechanism Reflected by Metabolomics and Lipidomics

“…It is known that caspase 3 plays a key role in cell apoptosis, and a higher caspase 3 activity implies the occurrence of apoptosis. 20 To confirm the results obtained from cell viability analysis, the caspase 3 activity was determined using spectrophotometry. Compared with the control group, the activity of caspase 3 in PC12 cells increased by 8.1% after being exposed to As 3+ (6 μmol L −1 ).…”

“…It has been demonstrated that enhancing S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) production, a universal methyl donor involved in arsenic metabolism, may be beneficial to detoxification. 20 Methionine was the direct precursor for SAM formation. The retaine homocysteine methyltransferase-catalyzed reaction was an important pathway for methionine biosynthesis; during this reaction the dimethylglycine formed at the same time.…”

Curcumin functions as an anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant agent on arsenic‐induced hepatic and kidney injury by inhibiting MAPKs/NF‐κB and activating Nrf2 pathways

“…Traditionally, studies have suggested that curcumin could modulate multiple cell signaling pathways including inhibiting pro‐inflammatory cytokines and lipid peroxidation products, increasing enzymatic and non‐enzymatic antioxidant activities, as well as down‐regulating immune‐related mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB) activation against liver injury induced by heavy metals 18,19 . What's more, arsenic exposure is connected with disturbance of phosphorylated ERK, JNK and p38, activation of constitutive NF‐κB, as well as regulation of a series of downstream signaling cascades associated with cell growth and proliferation, differentiation, metabolism and cellular autophagy processes 20–22 . Therefore, to further clarify the molecular targets of curcumin involving in the anti‐inflammatory effects against arsenic exposure is also imperative.…”

Effects of curcumin on menstrual pattern, premenstrual syndrome, and dysmenorrhea: A triple‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial

“…Curcumin (CUR), is a yellow polyphenolic compound and is a major constituent of the rhizomes of turmeric ( Curcuma longa L from Zingiberaceae family) used as a spice and for traditional medicine (Parsamanesh et al, 2018). There is a substantial body of evidence supporting the pleiotropic effects of CUR as an anti‐inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, and antibacterial agent, which introduce CUR as popular therapeutic option in wide spectra of human disorders (Bahrami, Ferns, et al, 2020a; Bahrami et al, 2019b; Bahrami et al, 2020c; Marjaneh et al, 2018).…”