Protective effects of curcumin against metal mixture-induced lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress and bladder damage in rats

Important environmental pollutants, Cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As), are cause severe oxidative stress and multiple organ damage including the bladder. Curcumin (CUR), obtained from rhizome of the Curcuma longa plant, is considered to have protective effects against oxidative damage and is a potent anti-cancer agent. In our study, we investigated the possible protective effect of CUR, whose antioxidant and cell protective properties are known, against bladder damage caused by heavy metal mixture containing Cd-As. For this purpose; Spraque-Dawley, healthy, 3-4 months, 200-250 g weight, male, albino rats were divided into 5 groups with 6 animals in each group. Groups were respectively group I (kontrol), group II (0.44 + 5.55 mg/kg Cd + As (HMM)), group III (100 mg/kg CUR), group IV (100mg/kg CUR+ HMM) , group V (200 mg/kg CUR+ HMM). At the end of experiment, rats were sacrificed by intracardiac blood collection under anesthesia, were taken for routine histopathological analysis of the bladders. HMM group was observed significant congestion, infiltration, epithelial hyperplasia and atrophy in the bladder tissue. These HMM-induced damages were significantly decreased in the 100 and especially 200 mg/kg CUR with HMM groups. In the HMM group, it was observed that the total oxidant level (TOS) increased considerably, while the total antioxidant level (TAS) decreased. In the 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg CUR with HMM groups have increased TAS levels and significantly decreased TOS levels. Our data show that CUR is a natural antioxidant and a potential cytoprotectant agent.