curcumin and Hepatitis--Autoimmune

Topics: Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Curcuma; Hepatitis, Autoimmune; Humans

Turmeric dietary supplement sales, which accounted for US$69 million in spending in 2016, have been increasing exponentially in the USA, making this one of the most popular botanical supplements sold in the USA. Herbal supplement use, which is generally regarded as safe by consumers, is not usually reported to healthcare providers. We reported here on a case of autoimmune hepatitis, occurring in a 71-year-old woman taking turmeric dietary supplements for the maintenance of cardiovascular health, which resolved rapidly following discontinuation of the turmeric supplements. Of particular note, turmeric use was not documented in the patient's medical records and the potential causative role of the turmeric supplementation was ultimately identified by the patient rather than the healthcare providers. To our knowledge, this is the first documented report of turmeric supplement-induced autoimmune hepatitis.

Topics: Aged; Curcuma; Diagnosis, Differential; Dietary Supplements; Female; Hepatitis, Autoimmune; Humans; Liver; Liver Function Tests; Withholding Treatment

Curcumin, a polyphenol extracted from the plant curcuma longa, exhibits a number of pharmacological properties and has been used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. However, the potential protective effects of curcumin in inflammatory liver diseases have not been clearly elucidated. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of curcumin on hepatic injury induced by concanavalin A (Con A), and its possible molecular mechanisms in mice. Acute live injury model was established successfully by intravenous administration of Con A (15mg/kg) in male C57BL/6 mice. Curcumin was administered to mice 2h prior to Con A injection. It was found that curcumin pretreatment significantly protected animals from T cell-mediated hepatitis as evidenced by decreased elevation of serum ALT, associated with reduced hepatic necrosis, apoptosis and mortality. In addition, curcumin pretreatment markedly reduced hepatic oxidative stress and pro inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α and IFN-γ. Furthermore, curcumin pretreatment dramatically suppressed the releasing of high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) in liver tissues. These results suggest that curcumin pretreatment protects the mice from Con A-induced liver injury via inhibiting hepatocyte oxidative stress, inflammation and releasing of HMGB1.

Topics: Alanine Transaminase; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antioxidants; Apoptosis; Biomarkers; Concanavalin A; Curcumin; Cytoprotection; Disease Models, Animal; Down-Regulation; Hepatitis, Autoimmune; HMGB1 Protein; Interferon-gamma; Liver; Male; Malondialdehyde; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Necrosis; Oxidative Stress; Time Factors; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha