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Protective effect of curcuminoids on age-related mitochondrial impairment in female Wistar rat brain

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Abstract

The present study demonstrated the neuroprotective effect of curcuminoids, the active polyphenols of Curcuma longa (L.) rhizomes on mitochondrial dysfunctioning in middle aged and aged female Wistar rat brain. Rats were orally treated with curcuminoids (100 mg/kg) for 3 months and their brain was collected for evaluation of mitochondrial enzymes and complexes activity, ultra structural changes in mitochondria, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) protein expression, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and lipofuscin content. Significant alterations were observed in all the tested parameters in highly aged rat brain when compared with young control. Long term curcuminoids administration prevented this age associated loss of mitochondrial enzymes and complexes activity in middle aged rat brain except for malate dehydrogenase, Complex II and IV activity when compared with young control. Among aged rats, curcuminoids treatment specifically elevated isocitrate and NADH dehydrogenase, cytochrome c oxidase, Complex I and total ATP content. A significant down-regulation of nNOS protein expression along with reduced lipofuscin content was also observed in curucminoids treated middle aged and aged rats. Thus, it was suggested that curcuminoids may act as a putative drug candidate for the prevention of deleterious effects of ageing and age associated neurodegenerative disorders through amelioration of aberrant mitochondrial functioning.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge Dr. S. K. Shankar, Former Head, Department of Neuropathology, NIMHANS for granting permission to perform TEM analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Advanced Research in Indian System of Medicine (CARISM), SASTRA University, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India

    Manisha Rastogi & Rudra P. Ojha

  2. National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India

    Chandrasekhar Sagar

  3. Centre for Psychosomatic and Biofeedback Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS), Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India

    Aruna Agrawal

  4. Department of Kriya Sharir, Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS), Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India

    Govind P. Dubey

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  1. Manisha Rastogi
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  2. Rudra P. Ojha
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Correspondence to Manisha Rastogi.

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Rastogi, M., Ojha, R.P., Sagar, C. et al. Protective effect of curcuminoids on age-related mitochondrial impairment in female Wistar rat brain. Biogerontology 15, 21–31 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10522-013-9466-z

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