The effect of curcumin on cadmium-induced oxidative damage and trace elements level in the liver of rats and mice.

The present study was designed to investigate in acute animal experiments the effects of oral curcumin pre-treatment (50 mg/kg body weight per day for 3 days) on liver oxidative damage and trace element changes caused by cadmium chloride administration (0.025 mmol/kg to rats and 0.03 mmol/kg to mice, s.c., 1h after the last curcumin treatment). In rats, the level of Cd-induced lipid peroxidation (320% of controls) was significantly lowered by curcumin pre-treatment (165% of controls), and was accompanied by significant increase of glutathione (GSH) level in both Cd-treated and Cd plus curcumin-treated group. In mice, the Cd-induced lipid peroxidation (125% of controls) was abolished by curcumin treatment. Concurrently, a depletion of GSH was found in the liver of both Cd-treated (67% of controls) and Cd plus curcumin-treated mice (54% of controls). Curcumin treatment did not change cadmium (Cd) distribution and did not cause systematic alterations in trace element status.