ACTA NEUROPHARMACOLOGICA››2011,Vol. 1››Issue (2): 48-57.

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Research Progress on Pharmacologic Actions of Curcumin in Central Nervous System

LI Gao-wen1, XU Ying2, KU Bao-shan3, PAN Jian-chun4

  1. 1. Dept of Pharmacology, Ningbo College of Health Science, Ningbo, 315100, China
    2. Dept of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV,26506,USA
    3. Dept of Pharmacology, School of Basci Medical Science, Peking University, Beijing, 100083, China
    4. Pharmacy College, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, 325035, China
  • Online:2011-04-26Published:2012-04-20

Abstract:Curcumin, an active yellow polyphenol pigment of turmeric, belongs to polyphone compound. Quantities of research have proved its pharmacologic actions in peripheral systems, such as antiatherosclerosis, antineoplasms, antidiabetes; In recent years, people have also found curcumin’s therapeutic effects on some neurodegenerative diseases and affective disorders, such as alzheimer’s, parkinson’s, depression, epilepsy and anxiety. As a powerful antioxidative agent, curcumin can modulate the balance of redox and reduce the formation of responsive oxidative species(ROS), which results in the neuroprotective effect. In addition to these, the neuroprotective effect of curcumin is involved in regulating signal molecules, such as NF-κB Nrf2 p-MEK,p-ERK,c-fos,APP,BACE1.Curcumin can also affect the BDNF/TrkB-MAPK/PI-3K-CREB pathway to regulate the neuroplasticity, cell vitality and antiapoptosis. This review summarizes the effects and possible mechanism of curcumin on neurodegenerative diseases, cerebral ischemia, traumatic brain injury and affective disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Key words:curcumin,central system,neuroprotection,mechanisms,progression

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