Effects of the antioxidant turmeric on lipoprotein peroxides: Implications for the prevention of atherosclerosis

Abstract

Extracts from the rhyzome of Curcuma Ionga are widely used as food additives in India and other Asiatic and Central American countries. It has been shown that these extracts ("turmeric"), as well as "curcumin" and related phenolic compounds isolated from Curcuma, have a powerful antioxidant action when tested in in vitro systems. Moreover, previous research from our laboratories has shown significant decreases in the levels of lipid peroxides in the blood of both mice and human subjects administered "turmeric." Our present research complements the previous data, showing that a daily intake of turmeric equivalent to 20 mg of the phenolic antioxidant curcumin for60 days decreases the high levels of peroxidation of both the HDL and the LDL, in vivo, in 30 healthy volunteers ranging in age from 40 to 90 years. The effect was quite striking in the persons with high baseline values of peroxidized compounds in these lipoproteins, while no apparent change took place in the persons having low baseline values.In view of current concepts on the atherogenic role played by peroxidized HDL, and especially by peroxidized LDL, as inducers of foam and smooth cell proliferation in the arterial wall, this preliminary experiment suggests that the Curcuma phenolic antioxidants, because of their high antioxidant activity and lack of toxicity, might be a useful complement to standard hypo-lipidemic drugs in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.

The misleading nature of in vitro and ex vivo findings in studying the impact of stress hormones on NK cell cytotoxicity

“…Rather, PGs are released locally by a variety of cells [23, 24], including malignant cells [25], and as a response to tissue damage [26]. Under some conditions (e.g., surgery) local release can markedly increase systemic PGs levels [27, 28].…”

Single-cell protein secretomic signatures as potential correlates to tumor cell lineage evolution and cell–cell interaction

“…The cytokines such as the tumor-necrosis factor (TNF) are produced by immune cells, and can improve the efficacy of the T cell priming and induce adaptive anti-tumor immunity (Zou, 2005). On the other hand, certain cytokines have been associated with poor patient outcomes, and reported to promote tumor growth and inhibit anti-tumor immune response (Wojtowicz-Praga, 1997; Mocellin et al, 2001; Raman et al, 2007). For example, imbalanced production of interleukin 6 (IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), or macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) inhibit adaptive anti-tumor immunity by suppressing dendritic cell maturation and activating regulatory T cells (T reg ) to aid tumor cells in evading immune-surveillance (Zou, 2005).…”

Cardioprotective Effects of Curcumin

“…42,43,46 Moreover, the treatment did not result in any significant change of the key parameters of blood coagulation. This apparent lack of toxicity was in agreement with data from the National Bureau of Standards of Hyderabad, according to which the daily adult intake of turmeric in diet (as a food additive) ranged between 0.1 and 3.8 g. In our opinion, this preliminary finding justified further work to confirm the fibrinogenlowering effects of turmeric on a larger group of subjects.…”

“…Previous research had already shown that this product decreased the levels of lipid peroxides and oxidized lipoproteins. 42,43 The subjects chosen were in the age group 24-75 years and were in apparent good health and held managerial, scientific, or technical jobs. After obtaining their informed consent, blood was taken from the cubital vein and fibrinogen was determined using the method of Claus.…”

“…44 On the basis of the results obtained, eight subjects showing abnormally high values of plasma fibrinogen (i.e., over 350 mg/dLl) were chosen for the treatment with the curcumin product. This treatment consisted in the daily intake of the same dose used in our previous studies 42,43 [ i.e., ingestion for 15 days of two tablets of hydroalcoholic extract of Curcuma longa, 45 containing approximately 10 mg of curcumin per tablet (A.S.A.C. Pharmaceutical International A.l.E., Alicante, Spain)].…”