Background: Curcumin is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory molecule known to be a potent inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B). In this study, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of curcumin on colitis induced by a 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS).
Methods: After the induction of colitis under anesthesia, 42 rats were divided into six groups as follows; the curcumin oral group, curcumin (20 mg/kg); the corn oil oral group, corn oil (20 mg/kg) using gastric gavage, the curcumin rectal group, curcumin; the corn oil rectal group, corn oil; the control group, 1 mL saline solution (0.9% NaCl) were administered using the rectal route. In the sham group, only rectal catheterization was performed. At the end of the seven day, the blood and intestinal tissue samples were obtained for histopathological examination and for MPO, MDA, NO, PDGF, IL-6, TNF-alpha, NF-kappaB.
Results: The macroscopic damage score was significantly higher in curcumin oral, corn oil oral and saline groups when compared to the sham group (p<0.05). The significant differences between groups were evaluated using the biochemical analysis of intestinal tissue for IL-6, NO, NF-κB, PDGF, TNF-α, MDA, MPO (p<0.05). NF-κB levels of blood in curcumin oral, curcumin rectal, sham, corn oil oral, corn oil rectal groups were significantly increased when compared to saline rectal group (p≤0.001). NF-κB serum levels of corn oil rectal and control group (p≤0.001) were lower than the sham group (p=0.012).
Conclusion: The effects of curcumin improved possibly by modulating the NF-κB signaling pathway should be considered against colitis alone or in combination with the conventional anti-colitic therapies in future studies.