TY - JOUR
T1 - Immunomodulatory effects of curcumin
T2 - In-vivo
AU - Varalakshmi, Ch
AU - Ali, A. Mubarak
AU - Pardhasaradhi, B. V.V.
AU - Srivastava, Raghvendra M.
AU - Singh, Sarvjeet
AU - Khar, Ashok
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors thank Ms. T. Hemalatha for secretarial help. Mr. N. Dwarakanath helped in animal handling. RMS and SS are supported by SRF scholarships from the CSIR.
PY - 2008/5
Y1 - 2008/5
N2 - Curcumin specifically exhibits cytostatic and cytotoxic effects against tumors of multiple origin. Previously we have demonstrated apoptotic activity of curcumin against tumor cells with no effect on normal cells in-vitro. Many anti-cancer drugs exhibit deleterious effects on immune cells, which restrict their wide use in-vivo. In the present study, we have evaluated the effect of curcumin on the major functions of T cells, natural killer cells, macrophages and on total splenocytes in-vivo, which insight the role of curcumin on their broad effector functions. This study demonstrates that prolonged curcumin-injections (i.p.) do not impair the cytotoxic function of natural killer cells, the generation of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide from macrophages and the levels of Th1 regulatory cytokines remained unaltered. Interestingly, curcumin-injections enhanced the mitogen and antigen induced proliferation potential of T cells. We have also evaluated immunomodulatory effects of curcumin in ascites-bearing animals. This study strengthens our belief that curcumin is a safe and useful immunomodulator for the immune system.
AB - Curcumin specifically exhibits cytostatic and cytotoxic effects against tumors of multiple origin. Previously we have demonstrated apoptotic activity of curcumin against tumor cells with no effect on normal cells in-vitro. Many anti-cancer drugs exhibit deleterious effects on immune cells, which restrict their wide use in-vivo. In the present study, we have evaluated the effect of curcumin on the major functions of T cells, natural killer cells, macrophages and on total splenocytes in-vivo, which insight the role of curcumin on their broad effector functions. This study demonstrates that prolonged curcumin-injections (i.p.) do not impair the cytotoxic function of natural killer cells, the generation of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide from macrophages and the levels of Th1 regulatory cytokines remained unaltered. Interestingly, curcumin-injections enhanced the mitogen and antigen induced proliferation potential of T cells. We have also evaluated immunomodulatory effects of curcumin in ascites-bearing animals. This study strengthens our belief that curcumin is a safe and useful immunomodulator for the immune system.
KW - Curcumin
KW - Lymphoproliferation
KW - Macrophages
KW - NK cells
KW - NO
KW - ROS
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U2 - 10.1016/j.intimp.2008.01.008
DO - 10.1016/j.intimp.2008.01.008
M3 - Article
C2 - 18387511
AN - SCOPUS:41149158492
SN - 1567-5769
VL - 8
SP - 688
EP - 700
JO - International Immunopharmacology
JF - International Immunopharmacology
IS - 5
ER -