Curcumin ameliorates arterial dysfunction and oxidative stress with aging

We tested the hypothesis that curcumin supplementation would reverse arterial dysfunction and vascular oxidative stress with aging. Young (Y, 4–6 months) and old (O, 26–28 months) male C57BL6/N mice were given normal or curcumin supplemented (0.2%) chow for 4 weeks (n = 5–10/group/measure). Large elastic artery stiffness, assessed by aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV), was greater in O (448 ± 15 vs. 349 ± 15 cm/s) and associated with greater collagen I and advanced glycation end-products and less elastin (all P < 0.05). In O, curcumin restored aPWV (386 ± 15 cm/s), collagen I and AGEs (AGEs) to levels not different vs. Y. Ex vivo carotid artery acetylcholine (ACh)-induced endothelial-dependent dilation (EDD, 79 ± 3 vs. 94 ± 2%), nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and protein expression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) were lower in O (all P < 0.05). In O, curcumin restored NO-mediated EDD (92 ± 2%) to levels of Y. Acute ex vivo administration of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic TEMPOL normalized EDD in O control mice (93 ± 3%), but had no effect in Y control or O curcumin treated animals. O had greater arterial nitrotyrosine abundance, superoxide production and NADPH oxidase p67 subunit expression, and lower manganese SOD (all P < 0.05), all of which were reversed with curcumin. Curcumin had no effects on Y. Curcumin supplementation ameliorates age-associated large elastic artery stiffening, NO-mediated vascular endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress and increases in collagen and AGEs in mice. Curcumin may be a novel therapy for treating arterial aging in humans.

► In old mice, curcumin reverses artery stiffness and endothelial dysfunction.
► Arterial oxidative stress with aging is attenuated with curcumin supplementation.
► Curcumin is a promising antioxidant therapy to treat age-related arterial dysfunction.