Recent experimental studies have highlighted the beneficial effects of curcumin on liver injury induced by acetaminophen (APAP). However, the specific molecular mechanisms underlying curcumin's hepatoprotective effects against APAP-induced liver injury remain to be fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of curcumin on APAP-induced liver injury using a mouse model. In the experiment, mice were subjected to an intraperitoneal hepatotoxic dose of APAP (300 mg/kg) to induce hepatotoxicity. After 30 min of APAP administration, the mice were treated with different concentrations of curcumin (0, 10, 25, or 50 mg/kg). After 16 h, mice with hepatotoxicity showed elevated levels of serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), hepatic myeloperoxidase (MPO), TNF-α, and IL-6, and decreased levels of glutathione (GSH). Moreover, there was an increased infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages following intraperitoneal injection of APAP. However, curcumin-treated mice displayed a pronounced reduction in serum ALT, AST, hepatic MPO, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels, coupled with a notable elevation in GSH levels compared to the APAP-treated hepatotoxic mice. Moreover, curcumin treatment led to reduced infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages. Additionally, curcumin inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK and NF-kB proteins while reducing the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). These findings highlight the hepatoprotective potential of curcumin against APAP-induced liver injury through the suppression of the ERK, NF-kB, and COX-2 signaling pathways.
Keywords: ERK/NF-kB/COX-2; acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity; curcumin; inflammation.