Effect of Curcumin in Experimental Pulmonary Tuberculosis: Antimycobacterial Activity in the Lungs and Anti-Inflammatory Effect in the Brain

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the ten leading causes of death worldwide. Patients with TB have been observed to suffer from depression and anxiety linked to social variables. Previous experiments found that the substantial pulmonary inflammation associated with TB causes neuroinflammation, neuronal death, and behavioral impairments in the absence of brain infection. Curcumin (CUR) is a natural product with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. In this work, we evaluated the CUR effect on the growth control of mycobacteria in the lungs and the anti-inflammatory effect in the brain using a model of progressive pulmonary TB in BALB/c mice infected with drug-sensitive mycobacteria (strain H37Rv). The results have shown that CUR decreased lung bacilli load and pneumonia of infected animals. Finally, CUR significantly decreased neuroinflammation (expression of TNFα, IFNγ and IL12) and slightly increased the levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related to factor 2 (Nrf2) and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, improving behavioral status. These results suggest that CUR has a bactericidal effect and can control pulmonary mycobacterial infection and reduce neuroinflammation. It seems that CUR has a promising potential as adjuvant therapy in TB treatment.

Identification of immune infiltration and cuproptosis-related molecular clusters in tuberculosis

“…verified that apoptosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of TB ( 48 ). It has been reported that in patients with no brain infection, the lungs become infected with Mtb and cause an inflammatory response, which can trigger inflammation in the brain and interfere with neurotrophic factors ( 49 ). Interestingly, Cluster 2 was characterized by an active nervous system, suggesting that the nervous system of these patients may be affected by Mtb.…”

Curcumin-Impregnated Drug Delivery Systems May Show Promise in the Treatment of Diseases Secondary to Traumatic Brain Injury: Systematic Review

“…Curcumin significantly reduces neuroinflammation and improves behavioral status by slightly increasing the levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related to factor 2 brain-derived neurotrophic factor. 50 Shadnoush et al 30 reported that curcuminoid supplementation has a beneficial effect on serum concentrations of adipokines, but this beneficial effect has not yet been studied in the treatment of critical TBI cases. Placebo-controlled 500 mg/day curcuminoids were administered to 62 critical cases with TBI aged 18 to 65 years.…”

“…Curcumin significantly reduces neuroinflammation and improves behavioral status by slightly increasing the levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related to factor 2 brain-derived neurotrophic factor. 50…”

Bioactive dietary components—Anti‐obesity effects related to energy metabolism and inflammation

“…Evidence from several studies has shown that curcumin has an anticancer, anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, and lipid‐lowering effect, in addition to thermogenic capacity 58–61 …”

“…57 Evidence from several studies has shown that curcumin has an anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and lipid-lowering effect, in addition to thermogenic capacity. [58][59][60][61] In order to prove its anti-inflammatory effects, the study by Maithilikarpagaselvi et al 62 shows that animals fed with HFD (30%) and supplemented with curcumin (200 mg/kg BW, for 10 weeks) showed a reduction in tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels.…”