Improvement of sulphur mustard-induced chronic pruritus, quality of life and antioxidant status by curcumin: results of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Abstract

Skin is among the first and most heavily damaged organs upon sulphur mustard (SM) exposure. Pruritus is the most common chronic skin complication of SM, which adversely affects the quality of life (QoL). However, current therapies for the management of SM-induced pruritus are very limited and associated with side effects. The present trial investigated the efficacy of curcumin in the alleviation of SM-induced chronic pruritic symptoms. A total of ninety-six male Iranian veterans (age 37-59 years) were randomised to receive either curcumin (1 g/d, n 46) or placebo (n 50) for 4 weeks. Serum concentrations of substance P and activities of antioxidant enzymes were measured at baseline and at the end of the trial. Assessment of pruritus severity was performed using the pruritus score, visual analogue scale (VAS) and scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) index. QoL was evaluated using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire. Serum concentrations of substance P (P,0·001) as well as activities of superoxide dismutase (P ¼ 0·02), glutathione peroxidase (P ¼ 0·006) and catalase (P,0·001) were significantly reduced in the curcumin group, while no significant change was observed in the placebo group. Curcumin supplementation was also associated with significant reductions in measures of pruritus severity including the pruritus score (P, 0·001), VAS score (P,0·001), overall (P, 0·001) and objective SCORAD (P ¼ 0·009), and DLQI's first question (P,0·001). None of these measures was significantly changed in the placebo group. As for the QoL, although DLQI scores decreased in both groups (P,0·001 and P ¼ 0·003 in the curcumin and placebo groups, respectively), the magnitude of reduction was significantly greater in the curcumin group (P, 0·001). In conclusion, curcumin may be regarded as a natural, safe, widely available and inexpensive treatment for the management of SM-induced chronic pruritus.

A randomized controlled trial on the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin in patients with chronic sulphur mustard-induced cutaneous complications

“…In a recent trial, we reported remarkable improvement of pruritus, QoL and antioxidant status following supplementation with curcumin. 15 However, it remains unclear whether mitigation of systemic inflammation by curcumin has a role in the positive observed effects. Hence, the present study investigated the impact of curcumin on serum inflammatory biomarkers and their association with pruritus severity and QoL.…”

Benefits of Curcumin Supplementation on Antioxidant Status in β-Thalassemia Major Patients: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

“…The β-diketone moiety and the hydroxyl/methoxy groups on phenyl rings in curcumin are responsible for its direct radical scavenging property [14,20]. Curcumin upregulates antioxidant enzymes by triggering the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/antioxidant response element signaling pathway [17,38]. Based on the results obtained by Das and Vinayak [39], they believed that curcumin regulates the endogenous antioxidant system both at the transcriptional level and via post-translational modification of enzyme activity.…”

“…Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is the active polyphenol in turmeric, a dietary yellow spice, which has a long history of use in traditional medicine in Asian countries [15,16]. In recent years, curcumin has attracted much attention due to its significant therapeutic potential such as cancer-preventive measures and immunomodulatory and antioxidant activities [16,17]. In addition, some in vitro and animal studies have demonstrated that curcumin has iron-binding capacity and induces iron depletion [10,11,12,13,14].…”

“…According to studies, curcumin has been characterized as a safe herbal compound, in a way that large doses of curcumin administration did not have serious adverse effects [16,17,18,19]. To the best of our knowledge, there is only one published study that investigated the effects of curcumin on the protein profile and oxidative damage in β-thalassemia patients applying proteomic techniques [20].…”

Sulfur Mustard Exposure and Cardiovascular Effects: A Review

“…Moreover, mediations that enhance the antioxidant supply, such as N-acetylcysteine and Curcumin, can be effective in both improving cardiovascular system health (47,48) and treating the late complications of SM (49,50). How-…”