In vitro study of parasite elimination and endothelial protection by curcumin
Loading...
Date
2014-03-20
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum infection can abruptly progress to severe malaria and cerebral malaria. Despite the current efficiency of antimalarial drugs in killing parasites, no specific effective treatment has been found for cerebral malaria. Thus, a new strategy targeting both parasite elimination and endothelial cell protection is urgently needed in this field. In this study, we determined whether curcumin, which has
blood-brain permeability, antioxidative activity and/or immunomodulation property,
provided a potential effect on both parasite elimination and endothelial protection. Murine brain microvascular endothelial cells (bEnd.3; ATCC) were cocultured with Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells (Pf-IRBC), peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and platelets. Apoptosis of endothelial cells was demonstrated by annexin V staining. Interestingly, curcumin exhibited high efficiency of antimalarial activity (IC50~10μM) and decreased bEnd.3 apoptosis down to 60.0% and 79.6% upon pre-treatment and co-treatment, respectively, with
Pf-IRBC, platelets and PBMC. Our findings
open up a high feasibility of applying curcumin as a potential adjunctive compound for cerebral malaria treatment in the future.
Description
Table of contents
Keywords
apoptosis, brain endothelial cells, curcumin, malaria, Plasmodium falciparum