Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Curcumin on CCl4 â?" induced Liver Fibrosis in Rats

Background: Liver fibrogenesis can lead to the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.This study was designed to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of curcumin on CCl 4 -induced fibrosis in rats and to assess its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.Method: Rats were divided into four groups.Group 1 (n=10) was control vehicle, Group 2 (n=10); rats were injected with CCl 4 (1 mL/Kg of 1:1v/v i.p. twice weekly for 12 week).Group 3 (n=10); rats were injected with similar doses of CCl 4 and given oral curcumin (300 mg/kg) for 4 weeks after withdrawal of CCl 4 .Group 4 (n=10); rats were injected with similar doses of CCl 4 and given curcumin orally (300 mg/kg) on the 6 th week of CCl 4 treatment simultaneously for 6 weeks.Fibrosis was assessed histologically and by measuring liver hydroxyproline content.α-smooth muscle actin was detected immunohistochemically.Serum markers of liver damage and oxidative stress were quantified.TGF-β1expression in liver was determined by RT-PCR and quantified in plasma.Results: CCl 4 resulted in elevation of ALT, AST, total bilirubin, TGF-β1 and liver hydroxyproline (P<0.05),whereas plasma total protein, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities were reduced (P<0.05).The histopathological changes were apparently ameliorated in the curcumin treated rats.Curcumin suppressed liver fibrosis indices and TGF-β1expression in hepatocytes following CCl 4 injections (P<0.001).Curcumin enhanced liver antioxidant enzyme activities (P<0.001).Conclusion: These findings suggested that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of oral curcumin on hepatic fibrogenesis might be considered as its mechanisms to improve hepatic fibrogenesis.