Curcumin improves endothelial dysfunction and vascular remodeling in 2K-1C hypertensive rats by raising nitric oxide availability and reducing oxidative stress

Abstract

Oxidative stress plays a role in maintaining high arterial blood pressure and contributes to the vascular changes that lead to hypertension. Consumption of polyphenol-rich foods has demonstrated their beneficial role in the prevention and treatment of hypertension. Curcumin (CUR), a phenolic compound present in the rhizomes of turmeric, possesses cardiovascular protective, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of CUR on 2kidney-1clip (2K-1C)-induced hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, vascular remodeling and oxidative stress in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Sham operated or 2K-1C rats were treated with CUR at a dose of 50 or 100 mg/kg/day (or vehicle). After 6 weeks of treatment, CUR ameliorated hemodynamic performance in 2K-1C hypertensive rats (P< 0.05), by reducing blood pressure, increasing hindlimb blood flow and decreasing hindlimb vascular resistance. Hemodynamic restoration was associated with a reduction in plasma angiotensin converting enzyme level. Endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation, in response to acetylcholine, of aortic rings isolated from 2K-1C hypertensive rats-treated with CUR was significantly increased (P< 0.05). CUR also attenuated hypertension-induced oxidative stress and vascular structural modifications. These effects were associated with elevated plasma nitrate/nitrite, upregulated eNOS expression, downregulated p47phox NADPH oxidase and decreased superoxide production in the vascular tissues. The overall findings of this study suggest the mechanisms responsible for the antihypertensive action of CUR in 2K-1C hypertension-induced endothelial dysfunction and vascular remodeling involve the improvement NO bioavailability and a reduction in oxidative stress.

Curcumin Attenuates Rapamycin-induced Cell Injury of Vascular Endothelial Cells

“…40 Cadmium-induced vascular dysfunction and hypertension in mice are effectively attenuated by curcumin treatment in which increased eNOS expression is involved. 27 Boonla et al 41 have demonstrated that curcumin improves vascular remodeling and endothelial dysfunction in hypertensive rats associated with an upregulation of eNOS. Here, we found that curcumin was capable of reversing the inhibitory effect of rapamycin on eNOS expression and was protective against cell injury in RAECs in vitro.…”

The beneficial role of curcumin on inflammation, diabetes and neurodegenerative disease: A recent update

“…Curcumin attenuates oxidative stress induced by hypertension and vascular structural modification in 2kidney-1clip (2k-1c) rats by the elevation of plasma nitrate/nitrite, up-regulation of eNOS expression, down-regulation of p47phox NADPH oxidase and decreased superoxide production in the vascular tissues (Boonla et al, 2014).…”

Protective effects of curcumin on acute gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats

“…Rats were treated with curcumin 100mg/kg/day by intragastric once daily for 8 days. This dose of curcumin was selected on the basis of existed data (Boonla et al 2014a). (iv) GM+CUR group: rats treated with curcumin (100 mg/kg by gavage) followed by gentamicin for 8 consecutive days.…”

“…CUR has been well recognized as a dietary spice for centuries and its pharmacological activity have been studied in various animal models and clinical investigations which exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects (Boonla et al 2014b;Wu et al 2014b). In cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity mice model, renal dysfunction and renal tubular necrosis scores were attenuated by CUR treatment through its anti-inflammatory effects by suppressing the pro-inflammatory factors NF-κB and COX-2 as well as promoting downstream markers Nrf2 and HO-1 in kidney (Sahin et al 2014;Ueki et al 2013).…”