Curcumin Inhibits Age Related Vascular Changes

Arteriosclerotic disease is increasing due to westernized diets and aging. Curcumin polyphenol has antioxidant effects along with anti-inflammatory action that may treat and have prophylactic effects on different diseases.

This study investigated effects of long term use of curcumin on vascular aging and chronic inflammation which is the cause of arteriosclerotic disease. 8 week old C57BL/6J mice were fed high fat diets or curcumin mixed high fat diets until the animals reached 80 weeks of age. Expression of antioxidant enzymes, heme oxygenase-1, oxidative stress, vascular aging, and inflammatory changes in the aorta were examined.

Oxidative stress increased with decreases in sirt1 expression in the aorta, followed by increased amounts of senescent cells and enhanced inflammation in the animals fed the high fat diets alone. In the animals fed curcumin mixed high fat diets heme oxygenase-1 was induced in the aorta with suppression of oxidative stress; sirt1 expression was shown in the aorta to remain at a level comparable to that of 8 week old mice with suppression of increased senescent cells and enhanced inflammation resolving issues associated with high fat diets.

According to the researchers curcumin may be a food with prophylactic functions against arteriosclerotic diseases, helping to control weight gain, increases in blood glucose levels and blood cholesterol levels associated with long term consumption of high fat diets; as well as multifaceted benefits such as anti-cancer effects, anti-inflammatory action, and antioxidative action, along with various physiological activities in vivo.