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Protective effects of curcumin on ischemic reperfusion of rat retina

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Comparative Clinical Pathology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background:

Ischemic reperfusion is an optic neuropathy in which photoreceptor cells may die through an apoptotic process. Free radicals are involved in the apoptotic process of ischemic reperfusion disorders. Previous research indicates that curcumin is an antioxidant found in plants which reduces neurodegenerative changes in aged animals.

Aims:

The purpose of this research was to survey whether curcumin has preventive effects on ischemic reperfusion of the retina.

Methods:

Twenty male Wistar rats were grouped into four (n = 5): 1, control group; 2, ischemic reperfusion group; 3, experimental group II: received 0.01% curcumin in diet (low dose) for 2 days before ischemic reperfusion; 4, experimental group III: received 0.25% curcumin in diet (high dose) for 2 days before ischemic reperfusion. The eye was enucleated and the retina separated. Routine tissue processing in transmission electron microscopy was done.

Results:

Results showed that ischemic reperfusion created major signs of injury in the photoreceptor layer such as disappearance of the outer segment, cell swelling, and karyolitic and pyknotic nuclei, but cell swelling and karyolitic nuclei were not seen after receiving a low dose of curcumin. Also, the photoreceptor layer appeared normal after receiving a high dose of curcumin, but decreased vacuolization and dark and inactive nuclei were obvious.

Conclusions:

This study concluded that a high dose of curcumin confers a more preventive effect on retinal injury by ischemic reperfusion than a low dose.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Ali Safavi for assistance with electron microscope technique.

Funding

This study was conducted under the sponsorship of the Kazerun Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kazerun, Iran.

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Correspondence to Arash Esfandiari.

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Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This study followed all the guidelines for the care and use animals.

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Cite this article

Esfandiari, A., Hashemi, F. Protective effects of curcumin on ischemic reperfusion of rat retina. Comp Clin Pathol 28, 89–95 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-019-02894-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-019-02894-2

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