Diminution of singlet oxygen-induced DNA damage by curcumin and related antioxidants
Subramanian, M.; Sreejayan; Rao, M.N.; Devasagayam, T.P.; Singh, B.B.
Mutation Research 311(2): 249-255
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0027-5107 PMID: 7526190 Document Number: 436023
Curcumin, the natural antioxidant from turmeric, an Indian spice, and its derivatives have significant abilities to protect plasmid pBR322 DNA against single-strand breaks induced by singlet oxygen (1O-2), a reactive oxygen species with potential genotoxic/mutagenic properties. 1O-2 was generated at 37 degree C in an aqueous buffer system by the thermal dissociation of the endoperoxide of 3,3'-(1,4-naphthylene)dipropionate (NDPO-2). Among the compounds tested, curcumin was the most effective inhibitor of DNA damage followed by desmethoxycurcumin, bisdesmethoxycurcumin and other derivatives. The observed antioxidant activity was both time-and concentration-dependent. The protective ability of curcumin was higher than that of the well-known biological antioxidants lipoate. alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene. However, the highest protective ability with saturating concentrations of curcumin did not exceed 50%. The ability of curcumin and its derivatives to protect DNA against 1O-2 seems to be related to their structures and may at least partly explain the therapeutic and other beneficial effects of these compounds including anticarcinogenic and antimutagenic properties.