Curcumin protects the brain against drug-induced neurotoxicity, indicating it may have value in preventing neurological disorders such as Parkinson disease. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Mitochondrial complex I inhibition in Parkinson's disease: how can curcumin protect mitochondria?
Antioxid Redox Signal. 2007 Mar;9(3):399-408. PMID: 17184173
Department of Psychopharmacology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
Selective damage of mitochondrial complex I within the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra is the central event during Parkinson disease. Peroxynitrite is one of the important free radicals probably mediating complex I damage. Peroxynitrite inhibits brain complex I mainly by 3-nitrotyrosine and nitrosothiol formation, but how these modifications alter the structure-function relation of complex I is unclear. Curcumin pretreatment protects brain mitochondria against peroxynitrite in vitro by direct detoxification and prevention of 3-nitrotyrosine formation and in vivo by elevation of total cellular glutathione levels. These results suggest a potential therapeutic role for curcumin against nitrosative stress in neurological disorders.