Protective Role of Turmeric in

 Manganese-Induced Oxidative

 Alterations in Rat Brain

Darshika Nigam^1,*, Vibha Rani² and Kalpana Singh³

^1,*Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Agra, India

²Department of Biotehnology, Jay Pee Institute of Technology, Noida, India

³Department of Pathology, S.N. Medical College, Agra, India

Turmeric powder obtained from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa Linn., has been traditionally recognized for treatment of several diseases. Overexposure to manganese (Mn) results in a neurological disorder, termed manganism which shares a similar phenotype to Parkinson’s disease. The present study explores the protective effect of turmeric against the toxicity of manganese (Mn) in adult albino male rat brain. Rats were divided into four groups. Group I rats served as control. Group II rats received turmeric (1g/kg body weight/day, orally) for 45 days. Group III rats were received Mn as MnCl₂ (8mg/Kg body weight/day), intraperitoneally for 15 days. Group IV rats were orally received turmeric for 45 days. Besides turmeric, group IV rats were also received Mn as MnCl₂ (8mg/Kg body weight/day, intraperitoneally) for last 15 days. Levels of reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation potential, conjugated dienes, blood-brain barrier permeability, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase were significantly increased, however lower levels of superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione and membrane fluidity were observed in brain of group III. There was no change found in the activity of catalase in brain of any of the experimental groups. These changes were ameliorated in group IV. The study suggests that turmeric exhibits neuroprotection against free radical-mediated neurotoxicity of Mn.

Keywords: Turmeric, Manganese, Parkinson’s disease, Blood-brain barrier, Neuroprotection.

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