Curcumin: Novel Treatment in Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury

This study explores the potential of curcumin, a compound found in turmeric, as a treatment for brain injury caused by oxygen deprivation (hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, HIE) in newborns. HIE is a serious condition that can lead to death or long-term disabilities. Current treatments are not always effective, so new options are needed. The researchers found that giving curcumin to newborn mice *after* a simulated HIE event helped to protect their brains from damage. The best results were seen with a dose of 200 μg/g of body weight, even when the treatment was delayed by up to two hours. This protection seems to be due to curcumin's ability to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain, rather than by promoting cell growth. The study suggests that curcumin could be a valuable treatment for HIE in newborns, especially because it can be given after the injury has already occurred.

• 1
  Curcumin administration prior to HIE in neonatal mice elevated cell and tissue loss, as well as glial activation compared to HI alone.
• 2
  Immediate post-treatment with curcumin was significantly neuroprotective, reducing grey and white matter tissue loss, TUNEL+ cell death, microglia activation, reactive astrogliosis, and iNOS oxidative stress when compared to vehicle-treated littermates.
• 3
  The protective effects of curcumin on the neonatal brain following HI are most likely due to curcumin’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, as seen in the reduced glial and iNOS activity.