Curcumin has a wide spectrum of
biological,
pharmaceutical, and
antioxidant effects in
cancer experimental models.
Nitrosamine is commonly used as an experimental
oxidizing agent which induces gastric oxidative stress and gastric
carcinogenesis in rats. We examined the
antioxidant potential effect of
curcumin against
nitrosamine-induced gastric oxidative stress in rats. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (10 rats/group). The control group was fed a standard diet and received a single dose of
normal saline, the
nitrosamine-treated group was fed a standard diet and received an
intraperitoneal injection of
nitrosamine at a single dose of 100 mg/kg
body weight (b.w.). The other two groups received a daily dose of
curcumin (200 mg/kg b.w.) via intra-gastric intubation in the presence or absence of
nitrosamine injection. After 16 weeks, all rats were sacrificed, and the gastric tissues were dissected for histopathological examination and for biochemical measurements of oxidative stress indices. Our results showed that
nitrosamine causes oxidative stress in gastric tissues as evidenced by
glutathione depletion, increased level of
lipid peroxides,
nitric oxide release, impairment of total
antioxidant capacity, DNA oxidative damage, and inhibition of
antioxidant enzymes (
catalase,
glutathione peroxidase,
glutathione reductase, and
superoxide dismutase). Histopathological findings revealed abnormal gastric architecture in association with
nitrosamine injection compared to the non-treated control group.
Curcumin significantly suppressed the gastric oxidative damage associated with
nitrosamine treatment and mitigated its histopathological effect. These results suggest that
curcumin, as an
antioxidant, has a
therapeutic effect against oxidative stress-mediated
gastric diseases.