Nitric Oxide Scavenging by Curcuminoids

Abstract

Because curcumin, a compound with anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity, inhibits induction of nitric oxide synthase in activated macrophages and has been shown to be a potent scavenger of free radicals we have investigated whether it can scavenge nitric oxide directly. Curcumin reduced the amount of nitrite formed by the reaction between oxygen and nitric oxide generated from sodium nitroprusside. Other related compounds, e.g. demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin and diacetylcurcumin were as active as curcumin, indicating that the methoxy and the phenolic groups are not essential for the scavenging activity. The results indicate curcumin to be a scavenger of nitric oxide. Because this compound is implicated in inflammation and cancer, the therapeutic properties of curcumin against these conditions might be at least partly explained by its free-radical scavenging properties, including those toward nitric oxide.

Curcumin as “Curecumin”: From kitchen to clinic

“…Throughout the Orient, it has traditionally been used to good therapeutic effect, particularly as an anti-inflammatory [12], and many of its therapeutic effects have been confirmed by modern scientific research. Such effects include antioxidant [27], anti-inflammatory [24,28,29], anticarcinogenic and antimicrobial [30][31][32], hepatoprotective [32], thrombosuppressive [33], cardiovascular (i.e., as protection against myocardial infarction) [29,34,35], hypoglycemic [36][37][38], and antiarthritic (i.e., as protection against rheumatoid arthritis) [39], The most compelling and key rationale for the continuing traditional therapeutic use of curcumin is its extremely good safety profile. To date, no studies in either animals [40,41] or humans [42] have discovered any toxicity associated with the use of curcumin, and it is clear that curcumin is not toxic even at very high doses.…”

InVitro Antioxidant and Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Withania Somnifera Root

“…Nitric oxide scavenging assay was carried by using sodium nitroprusside [22] . This can be determined by the use of the Griess Illosvoy reaction.…”

Effectiveness of curcuminoids in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized clinical trials

“…16 Curcuminoids have also been reported to exhibit antioxidant properties. 17 They have been demonstrated to scavenge reactive oxygen and nitrogen species [18][19][20] and inhibit the activity of IL-1b-induced superoxide dismutase. 21 In vitro studies have also shown that curcuminoids inhibit IL-1b-induced glycosaminoglycan (GAG) release from animal and human OA cartilage explants.…”