Protective Role of a Novel Curcuminoid on Alcohol and PUFA-Induced Hyperlipidemia

• Published in: Toxicology mechanisms and methods Vol. 15; no. 3; pp. 227 - 234
• Main Authors: Rukkumani, R., Aruna, K., Varma, P. Suresh, Viswanathan, P., Rajasekaran, K. N., Menon, V. P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa UK Ltd 2005; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Alcohol; Curcuma longa; Curcuminoid; Histopathology; Lipids; PUFA
• ISSN: 1537-6516; 1537-6524
• DOI: 10.1080/15376520590945658

Alcohol use is contributing to an unprecedented decline in life expectancy. It induces hyperlipidemia when taken at higher concentrations. Alcoholics usually after a heavy binge of alcohols take fried food items normally made up of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The combined ingestion of alcohol and PUFAs is considered to be dangerous and known to result in hyperlipidemic conditions. Previous studies have shown that curcumin, an active principle of turmeric (Curcuma longa), has antihyperlipidemic properties. So in the present work we have synthesized an analog of curcumin and tested the protective role of that synthetic curcuminoid on alcohol and thermally oxidized sunflower oil-induced hyperlipidemia. Male Albino rats of Wistar strain were used for the experimental study. Antihyperlipidemic activity of the synthetic curcuminoid was evaluated by analyzing the levels of lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides [TGs], phospholipids [PLs], and free fatty acids [FFAs]) in different tissues and histopathological changes in the liver. The results showed that the levels of cholesterol, TGs, and FFAs were increased significantly in alcohol, thermally oxidized sunflower oil (Δ PUFA), and alcohol + Δ PUFAs treated groups. Administration of synthetic curcuminoid effectively reduced these levels. The phospholipid (PL) levels, which were decreased in the liver and kidney and increased in the heart in the alcohol, Δ PUFA, and alcohol + Δ PUFA groups, were positively modulated by treatment with synthetic curcuminoid (CA). Our histopathological observations were also in correlation with the biochemical parameters. From the results obtained, we could conclude that the synthetic curcuminoid effectively protects the system against alcohol and Δ PUFA-induced hyperlipidemia and may become an effective therapeutic agent for the treatment of hyperlipidemia.