Pharmacology of diferuloyl methane (curcumin), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent

Abstract

Some pharmacological actions of curcumin (diferuloyl methane) have been examined in rats, mice and cats. The compound possesses significant anti-inflammatory activity in acute as well as in chronic models of inflammation. It is as potent as phenylbutazone in the carrageenan oedema test but only half as potent in chronic tests. Curcumin possesses a much lower ulcerogenic index than phenylbutazone. It prevents the inflammation induced increase in SGOT and SGPT levels. It lacks analgesic and antipyretic activity. It has no other significant pharmacological effects. The oral LD50 in mice is more than 2.0 g kg-l.Curcumin (diferuloyl methane, I) is an important constituent of rhizomes of Curcuma Zonga Linn and gives the characteristic yellow colour to the rhizome. It has been widely used in indigenous medicine (Nadkarni, 1954). The present communication describes a significant anti-inflammatory activity in curcumin. Part of this work has been briefly reported by Srimal, Khanna & Dhawan (1971). METHODSMale albino rats (90-1 10 g) and albino mice (15-22 g) of either sex of the CDRI colony were used at 26 & 2". Curcumin was isolated from the rhizome and its purity established by melting point determination (180-182") and nnir data. It was administered orally suspended in 2.0 % gum acacia.

Biological activities of Curcuma longa L.

“…Pharmacological actions of curcumin as an antiinflammatory agent have been examined by Srimal and Dhawan (1973). In this work, the authors reported that the compound was effective in acute as well as chronic models of inflammation.…”

Curcumin and its Analogues (PGV-0 and PGV-1) Enhance Sensitivity of Resistant MCF-7 Cells to Doxorubicin through Inhibition of HER2 and NF-kB Activation

“…and cholagogic (Ramprasad and Sirrsi, 1957), antibacterial (Lutomsky et al, 1974;Shankar and Murthy, 1979), antihepatotoxic (Claeson et al, 1994), antiinflammation (Srimal and Dhawan, 1973;Claeson et al, 1994), antioxidant (Sharma et al, 1972), anticancer (Kuttan et al, 1985), and antivirus (Mazumder et al, 1997). Modification of curcumin molecule into some molecules to improve the pharmacological effects have been done in saveral research groups.…”

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

“…10 Pharmacologically, curcuminoids have been reported to possess significant anti-inflammatory properties. 11 In vitro studies have shown that curcuminoids exert anti-apoptotic actions on interleukin (IL)-1b-stimulated human articular chondrocytes. 12,13 Laboratory models have demonstrated that curcuminoids inhibit pro-inflammatory mediators, including prostaglandin (PG)E2, nitric oxide, IL-6 and IL-8 in bovine chondrocytes.…”