Inhibitory Effect of Curcumin on Early Liver Regeneration Following Partial Hepatectomy in Rats

BackgroundCurcumin (Cur) is a nontoxic, hepatoprotective antioxidant. Recent investigations have demonstrated a protective effect of curcumin pretreatment during cold ischemia of hepatocytes, but its impact on liver regeneration per se has not been investigated so far.Material and MethodsMale Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 6 per group) underwent sham operation, 70% partial hepatectomy (PH), or PH with curcumin application (100 mg per kg bodyweight per day) starting 48 h before surgery. Rats were sacrificed 24 h after surgery. Liver regeneration was analyzed by measurement of relative liver weight, mitotic-index, bromo-deoxy-uridine (BrdU)-incorporation and Ki-67 expression.ResultsThe relative liver weight 24 h after surgery was similar in the PH groups with and without curcumin treatment. Also, a comparably high number of Ki-67 positive proliferating hepatocytes was detected in both groups. In contrast, the mitotic index in the untreated PH group (83 ± 20 mitosis/2000 hepatocytes) was significantly higher than in the curcumin treated group (21 ± 6). The BrdU labeling index was slightly higher in the curcumin treated group with PH (24% ± 5%) than in the untreated group (16% ± 2%). The hepatocyte density as marker of cellular hypertrophy was significantly lower in the curcumin group (474 ± 23) than in the untreated group (609 ± 22).ConclusionsCurcumin inhibits cell cycle progression during normal liver regeneration in rats, predominantly at the level of the G2/M transition point. However, the total liver mass and function was not significantly altered. Nevertheless, application of curcumin in conditions of high physiological cell proliferation should be performed with caution.