Curcumin inhibition of bleomycin-induced changes in lung collagen synthesis, deposition and assembly

Curcumin ameliorates heatstroke-induced lung injury by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway

Heatstroke (HS) poses a significant threat to public health. Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound, has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This study aimed to investigate the potential therapeutic effects of curcumin on HS-induced lung injury and to elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms. We utilized network pharmacology to predict the potential targets of curcumin and determine its possible protective effects against HS. Molecular docking was performed to assess the affinity of curcumin to proteins. Forty mice were used for in vivo experiments to evaluate the therapeutic effects of curcumin, divided into four groups (n = 10 per group): normal control (NC), high-temperature control (HTC), low-dose curcumin heatstroke (H100c, 100 mg/kg/day), and high-dose curcumin heatstroke (H200c, 200 mg/kg/day). Furthermore, we evaluated lung pathology, ultrastructural alterations, and protein expression levels of key molecules. Molecular docking indicated a high binding affinity between curcumin and PIK3R1, AKT, and CASP3. In vivo experiments confirm that curcumin pretreatment significantly mitigates HS-induced lung tissue pathology and ultrastructural damage, with the H200c group showing notably greater improvement. Furthermore, curcumin pretreatment markedly enhances the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway and suppresses the expression of cleaved caspase3, particularly in the H200c group. Our study suggests curcumin may alleviate HS-induced lung injury via the PI3K/AKT pathway, but limitations exist. We did not test key protein knockdown/overexpression, and PI3K/AKT may not be the only pathway. Human and mouse pharmacokinetic differences could affect clinical translation.

Curcumin regulates pulmonary extracellular matrix remodeling and mitochondrial function to attenuate pulmonary fibrosis by regulating the miR-29a-3p/DNMT3A axis

Epigenetic regulation and mitochondrial dysfunction are essential to the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Curcumin (CCM) in inhibits the progression of pulmonary fibrosis by regulating the expression of specific miRNAs and pulmonary fibroblast mitochondrial function; however, the underlying mechanism is unclear. C57BL/6 mice were intratracheally injected with bleomycin (5 mg/kg) and treated with CCM (25 mg/kg body weight/3 times per week, intraperitoneal injection) for 28 days. Verhoeff-Van Gieson, Picro sirius red, and Masson's trichrome staining were used to examine the expression and distribution of collagen and elastic fibers in the lung tissue. Pulmonary fibrosis was determined using micro-computed tomography and transmission electron microscopy. Human pulmonary fibroblasts were transfected with miR-29a-3p, and RT-qPCR, immunostaining, and western blotting were performed to determine the expression of DNMT3A and extracellular matrix collagen-1 (COL1A1) and fibronectin-1 (FN1) levels. The expression of mitochondrial electron transport chain complex (MRC) and mitochondrial function were detected using western blotting and Seahorse XFp Technology. CCM in increased the expression of miR-29a-3p in the lung tissue and inhibited the DNMT3A to reduce the COL1A1 and FN1 levels leading to pulmonary extracellular matrix remodeling. In addition, CCM inhibited pulmonary fibroblasts MRC and mitochondrial function via the miR-29a-3p/DNMT3A pathway. CCM attenuates pulmonary fibrosis via the miR-29a-3p/DNMT3A axis to regulate extracellular matrix remodeling and mitochondrial function and may provide a new therapeutic intervention for preventing pulmonary fibrosis.

Protective effects and mechanism of curcumin in animal models of pulmonary fibrosis: a preclinical systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: At present, there is a lack of effective treatment for pulmonary fibrosis (PF), and a number of studies have confirmed that curcumin (CUR) has a good effect on PF. Research Qusetion: Is CUR effective in preclinical trials for PF and what is its mechanism of action? Methods: Animal reports of PF treated with CUR were searched from Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library from 1 January 2000 to 19 April 2023 to compare CUR treatment of PF with a no-intervention model group. A previous registration (nsply registration number: INPLASY202360084) of this review protocol was undertaken. Results: The meta-analysis included 27 publications and 29 studies involving 396 animals. CUR significantly improved the degree of fibrosis, levels of inflammation, and oxidative imbalances in lung tissue in animal models of PF. In terms fibrosis, such as HYP content (SMD = -4.96; 95% CI = -6.05 to -3.87; p = 0.000).In terms of inflammatory indicators, such as MPO activity (SMD = -2.12; 95% CI = -4.93 to 0.69; p = 0.000). In terms of oxidation index, such as MDA (SMD = -5.63; 95% CI = -9.66 to -1.6; p = 0.000). Conclusion: CUR significantly improved the degree of fibrosis, levels of inflammation, and oxidative imbalances in lung tissue in animal models of PF. Due to the quantitative and qualitative limitations of current research, more high-quality studies are needed to verify the above conclusion.

A systematic review of the research progress of traditional Chinese medicine against pulmonary fibrosis: from a pharmacological perspective

Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic progressive interstitial lung disease caused by a variety of etiologies. The disease can eventually lead to irreversible damage to the lung tissue structure, severely affecting respiratory function and posing a serious threat to human health. Currently, glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants are the main drugs used in the clinical treatment of pulmonary fibrosis, but their efficacy is limited and they can cause serious adverse effects. Traditional Chinese medicines have important research value and potential for clinical application in anti-pulmonary fibrosis. In recent years, more and more scientific researches have been conducted on the use of traditional Chinese medicine to improve or reduce pulmonary fibrosis, and some important breakthroughs have been made. This review paper systematically summarized the research progress of pharmacological mechanism of traditional Chinese medicines and their active compounds in improving or reducing pulmonary fibrosis. We conducted a systematic search in several main scientific databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, using keywords such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis, interstitial pneumonia, natural products, herbal medicine, and therapeutic methods. Ultimately, 252 articles were included and systematically evaluated in this analysis. The anti-fibrotic mechanisms of these traditional Chinese medicine studies can be roughly categorized into 5 main aspects, including inhibition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, improvement of extracellular matrix deposition, mediation of apoptosis and autophagy, and inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress. The purpose of this article is to provide pharmaceutical researchers with information on the progress of scientific research on improving or reducing Pulmonary fibrosis with traditional Chinese medicine, and to provide reference for further pharmacological research.