HD Lighthouse Contributing Editor's Comment: Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant and an inducer of the heat shock response which helps with protein folding. Oxidative damage and protein misfolding have been implicated as pathologies in Huntington's Disease, Alzheimer's, and other neurodegenerative disorders. As a result, much interest has been generated in research designed to see if this natural food substance has neuroprotective properties.

Although curcumin has been studied in mouse models of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's with promising results, this is the first published study to have direct relevance to Huntington's Disease. The researchers used a toxin model of Huntington's Disease. They administered 3-nitropropionic acid, a neurotoxin which mimics the effects of HD on the brain. This model was much used before the development of the genetic mouse models of HD and is still used as one way to quickly test for promising compounds.

They found that rats which were given curcumin before and during the administration of the neurotoxin received significant neuroprotection.

The next step is test this compound in a genetic mouse model. While there is certainly quite a ways to go before we know whether curcumin is an effective treatment, it does seem like a food with good antioxidant properties to add to one's diet.

-- Marsha L. Miller, Ph.D.
Posted to the HDL: 29 Mar 2007

Possible neuroprotective mechanisms of curcumin in attenuating 3-nitropropionic acid-induced neurotoxicity

Kumar, P., Padi, S.S.V., Naidu, P.S., Kumar, A.

3-Nitropropionic acid (3-NP) is a well known fungic toxin causing neurotoxicity. Systemic administration of 3-NP causes motor and cognitive deficits that are associated with excessive free radical generation. Recently, curcumin has been implicated as a neuroprotectant in the treatment of various neurological disorders. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of curcumin in 3-NP-induced cognitive impairment and oxidative stress in rats. Curcumin, a potent antioxidant of dietary polyphenol, containing a standardized extract of Curcuma longa root (Zingiberaceae), has been reported to possess free radical scavenging, iron chelating and antiinflammatory activities. Intraperitoneal administration of 3-NP (20 mg/kg for 4 days) showed loss in body weight, declined motor function, poor retention of memory and changes in oxidative stress (lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione and nitrite level) parameters in brain. Chronic treatment with curcumin (10, 20 and 50 mg/kg, p.o.) once daily for a period of 8 days beginning 4 days prior to 3-NP administration dose-dependently improved the 3-NP-induced motor and cognitive impairment. Biochemical analysis revealed that curcumin administration significantly attenuated 3-NP-induced oxidative stress (lipid peroxidation estimation, reduced glutathione and nitrite activity) in the brains of rats. It also significantly restored the decreased succinate dehydrogenase activity. The results of the present study clearly indicate that curcumin by its antioxidant activity showed neuroprotection against 3-NP-induced behavioral and biochemical alteration. # # #

Source: Methods and Findings in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology 2007, 29(1): 19

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