The protective effect of curcumin on lungs in rats treated with carbon tetrachloride

In our study, it is aimed to show the effects of curcumin obtained from the turmeric plant, which has antioxidant properties, on lung damage by biochemical and histopathological methods. In our study, 40 Wistar albino male rats weighing 300-350 grams were used. The Control group was given 1 ml of olive oil by gavage every day for 3 weeks. Curcumin group was given 200 mg/kg curcumin dissolved in olive oil by gavage every day for 3 weeks. The carbon tetrachloride group was given 0.5 ml/kg carbon tetrachloride dissolved in olive oil at a ratio of 1/1 every other day for 3 weeks by intraperitoneal injection. Curcumin+carbon tetrachloride group was given 200 mg/kg curcumin dissolved in olive oil by gavage every day for 3 weeks and 0.5 ml/kg carbon tetrachloride was applied as ip every other day. In Hematoxylin-Eosin stained preparations of lung tissue, control and curcumin groups exhibited normal tissue morphology. In the carbon tetrachloride group, inflammatory images such as increased septum thickness, hemorrhage and vascular congestion were observed. Although damage was observed in limited areas in the lung tissues of the subjects given curcumin together with carbon tetrachloride, normal-looking large lung areas draw attention. In order to evaluate the effect of curcumin on the inflammatory response, TNF-α and IL-1ß expression levels were studied by immunohistochemical method and higher expression was observed in the carbon tetrachloride group compared to the other groups (p˂0.01). Malondialdehyd and superoxide dismutase levels, which were studied as indicators of oxidative stress, were found to be the highest in the carbon tetrachloride group. In the subjects given curcumin+carbon tetrachloride, malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase levels were significantly decreased compared to the carbon tetrachloride group (p˂0.01).