Immunomodulatory effects of curcumin.
01 Jan 2005-Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology (Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol)-Vol. 27, Iss: 3, pp 485-497
TL;DR: The results suggest that curcumin most likely inhibits cell proliferation and cytokine production by inhibiting NF-κB target genes involved in the induction of these immune parameters.
Abstract: Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), found in the spice turmeric, exhibits anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and chemopreventive activities. However, the effect of curcumin on the immunological responses largely remains unknown. In this study we have investigated the effect of curcumin on mitogen (phytohaemagglutinin; PHA) stimulated T-cell proliferation, natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity, production of cytokines by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse macrophage cells, RAW-264.7. Furthermore, we have carried out an electromobility shift assay to elucidate the mechanism of action of curcumin at DNA protein interaction level. We observed that curcumin inhibits PHA-induced T-cell proliferation, interleukin-2 production, NO generation, and lipopolysachharide-induced nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and augments NK cell cytotoxicity. Our results suggest that curcumin most likely inhibits cell proliferation and cytokine production by inhibiting NF-kappaB target genes involved in the induction of these immune parameters.
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TL;DR: Curcumin has been shown to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities and thus has a potential against various malignant diseases, diabetes, allergies, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and other chronic illnesses.
Abstract: Turmeric, derived from the plant Curcuma longa, is a gold-colored spice commonly used in the Indian subcontinent, not only for health care but also for the preservation of food and as a yellow dye for textiles. Curcumin, which gives the yellow color to turmeric, was first isolated almost two centuries ago, and its structure as diferuloylmethane was determined in 1910. Since the time of Ayurveda (1900 Bc) numerous therapeutic activities have been assigned to turmeric for a wide variety of diseases and conditions, including those of the skin, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal systems, aches, pains, wounds, sprains, and liver disorders. Extensive research within the last half century has proven that most of these activities, once associated with turmeric, are due to curcumin. Curcumin has been shown to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities and thus has a potential against various malignant diseases, diabetes, allergies, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and other chronic illnesses. These effects are mediated through the regulation of various transcription factors, growth factors, inflammatory cytokines, protein kinases, and other enzymes. Curcumin exhibits activities similar to recently discovered tumor necrosis factor blockers (e.g., HUMIRA, REMICADE, and ENBREL), a vascular endothelial cell growth factor blocker (e.g., AVASTIN), human epidermal growth factor receptor blockers (e.g., ERBITUX, ERLOTINIB, and GEFTINIB), and a HER2 blocker (e.g., HERCEPTIN). Considering the recent scientific bandwagon that multitargeted therapy is better than monotargeted therapy for most diseases, curcumin can be considered an ideal "Spice for Life".
1,467 citations
TL;DR: Because of the crucial role of inflammation in most chronic diseases, the potential of curcumin has been examined in neoplastic, neurological, cardiovascular, pulmonary and metabolic diseases.
956 citations
TL;DR: An overview of the extensive published literature on the use of curcumin as a therapy for malignant and inflammatory diseases and its potential use in the treatment of degenerative neurologic diseases, cystic fibrosis, and cardiovascular diseases is provided.
Abstract: Curcumin is a natural polyphenol used in ancient Asian medicine. Since the first article referring to the use of curcumin to treat human disease was published in The Lancet in 1937, >2,600 research studies using curcumin or turmeric have been published in English language journals. The mechanisms implicated in the inhibition of tumorigenesis by curcumin are diverse and appear to involve a combination of antiinflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, proapoptotic, and antiangiogenic properties via pleiotropic effects on genes and cell-signaling pathways at multiple levels. The potentially adverse sequelae of curcumin's effects on proapoptotic genes, particularly p53, represent a cause for current debate. When curcumin is combined with some cytotoxic drugs or certain other diet-derived polyphenols, synergistic effects have been demonstrated. Although curcumin's low systemic bioavailability after oral dosing may limit access of sufficient concentrations for pharmacologic effects in tissues outside the gastrointestinal tract, chemical analogues and novel delivery methods are in preclinical development to overcome this barrier. This article provides an overview of the extensive published literature on the use of curcumin as a therapy for malignant and inflammatory diseases and its potential use in the treatment of degenerative neurologic diseases, cystic fibrosis, and cardiovascular diseases. Despite the breadth of the coverage, particular emphasis is placed on the prevention and treatment of human cancers.
592 citations
TL;DR: Curcumin’s reported beneficial effects in arthritis, allergy, asthma, atherosclerosis, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and cancer might be due in part to its ability to modulate the immune system, and these findings warrant further consideration of curcumin as a therapy for immune disorders.
Abstract: Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is an orange-yellow component of turmeric (Curcuma longa), a spice often found in curry powder. Traditionally known for its an antiinflammatory effects, curcumin has been shown in the last two decades to be a potent immunomodulatory agent that can modulate the activation of T cells, B cells, macrophages, neutrophils, natural killer cells, and dendritic cells. Curcumin can also downregulate the expression of various proinflammatory cytokines including TNF, IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, and chemokines, most likely through inactivation of the transcription factor NF-κB. Interestingly, however, curcumin at low doses can also enhance antibody responses. This suggests that curcumin’s reported beneficial effects in arthritis, allergy, asthma, atherosclerosis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and cancer might be due in part to its ability to modulate the immune system. Together, these findings warrant further consideration of curcumin as a therapy for immune disorders.
509 citations
Cites background from "Immunomodulatory effects of curcumi..."
...Yadav and his group also reported that curcumin can suppress the PHA-induced proliferation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and inhibit IL-2 expression and NF-κB (51)....
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...Inhibits PHA-stimulated IL-2 production in human PMBCs (51)....
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...In another study, curcumin has been reported to reduce LPS-induced NO production in mouse macrophages (51)....
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...In one of the investigations, curcumin has been found to augment NK-cell cytotoxicity (51)....
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...Inhibits LPS-induced NO production in mouse macrophages (51)....
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TL;DR: The biological and immunological activities of the main carotenoids used for the treatment of various diseases and their possible mechanisms of action are described.
Abstract: Carotenoids and retinoids have several similar biological activities such as antioxidant properties, the inhibition of malignant tumour growth and the induction of apoptosis. Supplementation with carotenoids can affect cell growth and modulate gene expression and immune responses. Epidemiological studies have shown a correlation between a high carotenoid intake in the diet with a reduced risk of breast, cervical, ovarian, colorectal cancers, and cardiovascular and eye diseases. Cancer chemoprevention by dietary carotenoids involves several mechanisms, including effects on gap junctional intercellular communication, growth factor signalling, cell cycle progression, differentiation‐related proteins, retinoid‐like receptors, antioxidant response element, nuclear receptors, AP‐1 transcriptional complex, the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway and inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, carotenoids can stimulate the proliferation of B‐ and T‐lymphocytes, the activity of macrophages and cytotoxic T‐cells, effector T‐cell function and the production of cytokines. Recently, the beneficial effects of carotenoid‐rich vegetables and fruits in health and in decreasing the risk of certain diseases has been attributed to the major carotenoids, β‐carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, crocin (/crocetin) and curcumin, due to their antioxidant effects. It is thought that carotenoids act in a time‐ and dose‐dependent manner. In this review, we briefly describe the biological and immunological activities of the main carotenoids used for the treatment of various diseases and their possible mechanisms of action.
421 citations
Cites background from "Immunomodulatory effects of curcumi..."
...Curcumin is an effective scavenger of ROS such as hydroxyl radicals and superoxide anions (Yadav et al., 2005), and it can affect both endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondria functional pathways....
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References
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TL;DR: It appears that when given orally, curcumin is far less active than after i.p. administration, and systemic effects seem to be questionable after oral application except that they occur at very low concentrations ofCurcumin, which does not exclude a local action in the gastrointestinal tract.
Abstract: The data reviewed indicate that extracts of Curcuma longa exhibit anti-inflammatory activity after parenteral application in standard animal models used for testing anti-inflammatory activity It turned out that curcumin and the volatile oil are at least in part responsible for this action It appears that when given orally, curcumin is far less active than after ip administration This may be due to poor absorption, as discussed Data on histamine-induced ulcers are controversial, and studies on the secretory activity (HCl, pepsinogen) are still lacking In vitro, curcumin exhibited antispasmodic activity Since there was a protective effect of extracts of Curcuma longa on the liver and a stimulation of bile secretion in animals, Curcuma longa has been advocated for use in liver disorders Evidence for an effect on liver disease in humans is not yet available From the facts that after oral application only traces of curcumin were found in the blood and that, on the other hand, most of the curcumin is excreted via the faeces it may be concluded that curcumin is absorbed poorly by the gastrointestinal tract and/or underlies presystemic transformation Systemic effects therefore seem to be questionable after oral application except that they occur at very low concentrations of curcumin This does not exclude a local action in the gastrointestinal tract
1,714 citations
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a known anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic agent, is a potent inhibitor of NF-κB activation.
1,326 citations
TL;DR: Curcumin III is the most active of the curcuminoids present in turmeric, indicated by the ability of these compounds to suppress the superoxide production by macrophages activated with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA).
1,082 citations
"Immunomodulatory effects of curcumi..." refers background in this paper
...Curcumin is a potent scavenger of reactive oxygen species like superoxide anions and hydroxyl radicals.([39]) Curcumin treatment resulted in upregulation of NO in NK cells and reactive osygen species in AK-5 tumor cells....
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TL;DR: D-type cyclins couple extracellular signals to the biochemical machinery that governs progression through G1 phase of the mammalian cell division cycle, implying that their primary role is to sense the cell's readiness to replicate DNA and to enforce the commitment to enter S phase.
987 citations
"Immunomodulatory effects of curcumi..." refers background in this paper
...The cyclin D1 is required for the activity of CDK4, which phosphorylates Rb protein, thus releasing E2F to mediate the G1 to S transition, in turn leading to DNA synthesis and cell cycle progression.([35]) There is not enough information about the effect of curcumin on NK cell cytotoxicity....
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TL;DR: It is found that curcumin down-regulates NF-κB in human MM cells, leading to the suppression of proliferation and induction of apoptosis, thus providing the molecular basis for the treatment of MM patients with this pharmacologically safe agent.
674 citations