The dynamic accumulation rule of active substances in medicinal plants is of great value not only for medicinal material production and application,but also for the genetic mechanism study on the formation of medicinal ingredients,especially vital to guide medicinal material collection as well as experiment material selection and candidate gene screening in the analysis of biosynthesis pathway. This study investigated the accumulation of curcumins and terpenoids,and the biosynthesis of these metabolites,which are the active metabolites in Curcuma longa,a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine. Rhizoma of C. longa from leaf growing period,rhizome swelling period and dry matter accumulating period were used as experimental materials,to analyze the changes of metabolites and biosynthesis in the three periods by comparative transcriptome and metabolomes analysis.The results indicated that terpenoids accumulation and biosynthesis mainly occurred in leaf growing period,while curcumin accumulation and biosynthesis mainly occurred in dry matter accumulating period. Therefore,we suggested that turmeric rhizomes in leaf growth period were suitable for terpenoids biosynthetic pathway characterization,and rhizome in accumulation of dry matter period was suitable for curcuminoid biosynthesis pathway characterization. This study provides references for medicinal materialproduction and application,as well as biopathway analysis of active compounds for C. longa.
Curcuma ; chemistry ; Curcumin ; analysis ; Phytochemicals ; analysis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Terpenes ; analysis

OBJECTIVE: The present study explored the three-dimensional spatial arrangements of the neurons and glial cells within the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of rats. METHODS: It evaluated the arrangement for differences after stress with or without treatment with curcumin and sertraline using second-order stereology. Orientator method was applied to obtain isotropic uniform random sections of mPFC. The pair correlation g(r) and cross-correlation functions were estimated by counting dipole probes superimposed on histological sections of mPFC. RESULTS: The mean total volume of neurons and glial cells was 0.80 (0.05) and 0.40 (0.07), respectively in the control group. The corresponding values decreased by 50% in the stressed group. The curve of g(r) for the neurons and glial cells showed a wider gap between the stressed rats' mPFC. Theses indicate a negative correlation (repulsion) between the neurons and glial cells in the stressed rats. Evaluation of the cross-correlation function of the neurons and glial cells also showed a negative correlation in the stressed group. The estimated values of the global degree of order in the spatial point pattern for neurons and glial cells were 0.62 and 0.20 in control and stressed animals, respectively. Curcumin and sertraline protected the spatial arrangements of the cells after stress induction in rats. In addition, the volume of the neurons and glial cells remained unchanged after stress. CONCLUSION: Dissociation of the neurons and glial cells can is seen at some places in the stressed rats' cortex. However, the spatial arrangement of the cells was remained unchanged in curcumin+stress and sertraline+stress rats.
Animals ; Cerebral Cortex ; Curcumin* ; Neuroglia* ; Neurons* ; Prefrontal Cortex* ; Rats ; Sertraline* ; Spatial Analysis

The paper is aimed to study the dynamic accumulation regulation of curcumin (Cur), demethoxycurcumin (DMC) and bisdemethoxyeurcumin (BDMC) in three strains of Curcuma longa, and provide scientific references for formalized cultivation, timely harvesting, quality control and breeding cultivation of C. longa. The accumulation regulation of the three curcumin derivatives was basically the same in rhizome of three strains. The relative contents decreased along with plant development growing, while the accumulation per hectare increased with plant development growing. The accumulation of curcuminoids per hectare could be taken as the assessment standard for the best harvest time of C. longa. A3 was the best strain in terms of Cur and BDMC content.
Curcuma ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Curcumin ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; metabolism ; Quality Control ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo optimize the conditions of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) for curcumin in Curcuma longa.

METHODOptimum extraction conditions were studied by orthogonal tests. The extracts were analyzed by HPLC.

RESULTThe optimal extraction conditions were pressure 25 MPa, temperature 55 degrees C, static time 4 h, dynamic time 5 h, flow rate of CO2 3.5 L x min(-1), co-solvent ethanol 30% (mL x g(-1)).

CONCLUSIONIt is feasible to extract curcumin by SFE.

Carbon Dioxide ; Chromatography, Supercritical Fluid ; methods ; Curcuma ; chemistry ; Curcumin ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Ethanol ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Pressure ; Temperature ; Time Factors

In this study, gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry(GC-MS) was used to analyze the changes of 12 kinds of cancer cells treated by curcumin. The related differential metabolites were screened and the metabolic pathways were analyzed to explore the anti-tumor mechanism of curcumin. Methyl thiazol tetrazolium(MTT) assay was used to detect the 50% inhibiting concentration(IC_(50)) of curcumin on 12 human tumor cells. After treatment with curcumin for 48 h, the cells were collected and analyzed by GC-MS, followed by pathway analysis and multivariate data analysis including principal component analysis(PCA), orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) and One-way analysis of variance(ANOVA),etc. Overall, 34 metabolites showed significant concentration changes after intervention for 48 h, mainly involving multiple metabolic pathways, including lysine degradation, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, primary bile acid biosynthesis, lysine biosynthesis. In this study, the anti-tumor mechanisms of curcumin interfering with energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, microtubule system, protein synthesis and oxidative stress response of tumor cells were analyzed from the perspective of metabolism, providing a new reference for further tumor pharmacology study.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Humans ; Metabolic Networks and Pathways ; Metabolome ; Metabolomics ; Principal Component Analysis

OBJECTIVEThis study examined the effects of curcumin on intestinal histopathological changes, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) concentrations in neonatal rats with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), in order to investigate the effects of curcumin against NEC.

METHODSForty neonatal rats were randomly divided into four groups (n=10 each): normal control, solvent control, NEC model, and curcumin intervention. The general situations of rats were observed for 3 consecutive days, and the rats were then sacrificed on the 4th day. Intestinal tissues were obtained for examining the histopathological changes, COX-2 expression, and TNF-alpha and IL-10 concentrations.

RESULTSCurcumin treatment ameliorated the general situations and histopathological signs in rats with NEC. TNF-alpha and IL-10 concentrations in the NEC model and the curcumin intervention groups increased significantly compared with those in the normal and solvent control groups (p<0.05). The concentration of TNF-alpha decreased (p<0.05), while the concentration of IL-10 increased significantly in the curcumin intervention group in comparison with the NEC model group (p<0.05). Immunohistochemistry results indicated that the positive expression of COX-2 in the curcumin intervention group was significantly lower than that in the NEC model group.

CONCLUSIONSCurcumin has protective effects against NEC in neonatal rats, possibly through inhibiting COX-2 expression, reducing TNF-alpha content, and increasing IL-10 content.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Body Weight ; Curcumin ; therapeutic use ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; analysis ; physiology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Female ; Interleukin-10 ; analysis ; Intestines ; pathology ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo explore the growth inhibition effects and apoptosis inducing mechanisms of curcumin on human ovarian cancer cell line A2780.

METHODSAfter treatment with 10 - 50 micromol/L curcumin for 6 - 24 h, the growth activity of A2780 cancer cells were studied by [4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetry. Cellular apoptosis was inspected by flow cytometery and acridine orange-ethidium bromide fluorescent staining methods. The fragmentation of cellular chromosome DNA was detected by DNA ladder, the ultrastructural change was observed under a transmission electron microscope, and the protein levels of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB, P65) and cysteinyl aspartate specific protease-3 (Caspase-3) in ovarian cancer cells were measured by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSAfter treatment with various concentrations of curcumin, the growth inhibition rates of cancer cells reached 62.05% - 89.24%, with sub-G(1) peaks appearing on histogram. Part of the cancer cells showed characteristic morphological changes of apoptosis under fluorescence and electron microscopes, and the rate of apoptosis was 21.5% - 33.5%. The protein expression of NF-kappaB was decreased, while that of Caspase-3 was increased in a time-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONCurcumin could significantly inhibit the growth of human ovarian cancer cells; inducing apoptosis through up-regulating Caspase-3 and down-regulating gene expression of NF-kappaB is probably one of its molecular mechanisms.

Acridine Orange ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; analysis ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Colorimetry ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; DNA Fragmentation ; Down-Regulation ; Ethidium ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; NF-kappa B ; analysis ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; pathology ; Up-Regulation

BACKGROUNDTo better understand the possibilities of antiangiogenic tumor therapy and to assess possible side effects, we investigated the effect of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and curcumin on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in U937 and Raji cell lines and their effect on angiogenesis in a human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVECs)-derived cell line (ECV304), and also the relationship between Notch1 and VEGF. The aim of this study was to elucidate potential mechanisms controlling tumor neovascularization.

METHODSVEGF secreted by U937 and Raji cell lines was determined by ELISA. Angiogenesis was tested by network formation of endothelial cells on Matrigel. Levels of VEGF mRNA in U937 and Raji cells and Notch1 mRNA levels in EV304 cells were determined by RT-PCR.

RESULTSSecretion of VEGF by U937 and Raji cells was increased by TNF-alpha treatment and suppressed by curcumin (P < 0.01). The mRNA expression of VEGF165 and VEGF121 (containing 165 and 121 amino acid residues, respectively) were detected in any fractions. TNF-alpha augmented the expression of VEGF165 and VEGF121 mRNA and curcumin reduced the expression (P < 0.01). No networks or cords formed in control and curcumin groups. There was tube formation on matrigel in the supernatants of the Raji culture group and the supernatants groups treated by VEGF group and TNF-alpha in Raji cell. Notch1 mRNA was detected but there was no significant change in the VEGF group compared with control (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSExpressions of VEGF mRNA in U937 and Raji cells were increased by TNF-alpha and suppressed by curcumin. VEGF and TNF-alpha can induce angiogenesis, and curcumin can inhibit angiogenesis in ECV304 cells.

Cell Line ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Endothelial Cells ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Receptor, Notch1 ; genetics ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; pharmacology ; U937 Cells ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; biosynthesis ; genetics

AIMTo study the effect of curcumin on the apoptosis of prostate cancer cell line LNCaP and regulation of expression of maspin gene.

METHODSMTT and DNA electrophoresis were used to examine the cell growth and apoptosis of prostate cancer cell line LNCaP after treated with different doses of curcumin. The expression of maspin gene at transcription level and translation level was also detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting. pGL3-maspin luciferase expression vector, containing 847 bp (- 764 -/+ 83) DNA of maspin gene 5' promoter region, was transient transfected into LNCaP cell. Through detecting the activity of luciferase, the effect of curcumin on the promoter of maspin was studied.

RESULTSCurcumin inhibited cell growth, induced the apoptosis and enhanced the expression of maspin gene in LNCaP cells.

CONCLUSIONCurcumin up-regulated expression of maspin gene in LNCaP cells through enhancing the transcription activity of promoter of maspin gene.

Androgen Receptor Antagonists ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Receptors, Androgen ; genetics ; Serpins ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo prepare the long-circulating nanoliposomes of curcumin.

METHODThe long-circulating nanoliposomes were prepared by ethanol infusion and the encapsulation efficiency was determindated by the mini-column centrifugation. The effect of some factors on the encapsulation efficiency, such as the buffer solutions, the weight ratio of curcumin to SPC, the weight ratio of SPC to Chol, the pH of buffer solution and the iron strength of water phase, was investigated respectively. Then the formulation was optimized by orthogonal design.

RESULTThe encapsulation efficiency of the curcumin liposomes was (88.27 +/- 2.16)%, and the average diameter of the liposomes was (136 +/- 18) nm. There was no change on encapsulation efficency within 30 d.

CONCLUSIONThe preparation of curcumin liposomes was easy and practicable and the pharmaceutical characterization showed that the curcumin liposomes are stable.

Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Curcumin ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Drug Prescriptions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Liposomes ; blood ; chemistry ; Molecular Weight ; Nanostructures ; analysis ; Particle Size ; Sodium Chloride ; chemistry