AMELIORATIVE EFFECT OF CURCUMIN AGAINST CADMIUM–INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN RATS

Health hazards from increased cadmium (Cd) exposure as a result of industrial and environmental pollution are recognized. For thousands of years, curcumin (Cur) has been used in the Orient as a healing agent for a wide range of inflammatory, neoplastic and other conditions. In recent years, extensive in vitro and in vivo studies suggested that curcumin has anticancer, antiviral, antiarthritic, anti-amyloid, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. The present study investigated the effect of Cd on the oxidative status biomarkers in tissue of liver of rats. Meanwhile, the potential protective effect of Cur against Cd hepatotoxicity was investigated. Cadmium group exhibited a marked decline in liver tissue of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH). However, the treatment with Cur ameliorated Cd-induced malondialdehyde (MDA) and oxidative stress in liver tissue as they provoked the antioxidant defense system more significantly. The histological examination of liver proved the liver injury induced by Cd where it showed focal inflammatory cell infiltration, congestion, ballooning degeneration and nuclear fragmentations. While, co-treatment of Cd with Cur ameliorated the cellular texture of the liver. These findings show that Cd induces hepatic oxidative damage. Also, results suggest the curative action of Cur since it exhibited the ability to resist the harmful action of Cd and to protect the liver from oxidative damage.