Curcumin atherosclerosis

Some metabolites of curcumin (particularly tetrahydrocurcumin) may also participate in producing the observed effects of curcumin in different models because these metabolites display greater stabilities than the parent curcumin molecule at physiological pH. Recent data show similar modes of action of curcumin metabolites regarding antioxidant enzyme induction and inhibition of multidrug-resistant proteins. " Additional data indicate that curcumin may even act against other types of diseases such as atherosclerosis " " and Alzheimer s disease. " - " ... 

Oxidation of LDL plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. Turmeric extract decreased the susceptibility of LDL to lipid peroxidation, thus suggesting its value in the management of cardiovascular disease (Ramirez-Tortosa et al. 1999). In healthy hiunans, the daily intake of 200 mg of turmeric extract resulted in a decrease in total blood lipid peroxides as well as in HDL- and LDL-lipid peroxidation (Miquel et al. 2002). The beneficial influence of dietary curciunin on the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation was examined in an animal study. Dietary curcumin significantly inhibited the in vivo iron-induced LDL oxidation as well as copper-induced oxidation of LDL in vitro (Manjunatha and Srinivasan 2006). 

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