Protective Effect of Curcumin on Acrylamide-Induced Hepatic and Renal Impairment in Rats: Involvement of CYP2E1

As a chemical extensively used in industrial areas and formed during heating of carbohydrate-rich foods and tobacco, acrylamide (ACR) has been demonstrated to exert a variety of systemic toxic effects including hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. In the present study, we investigated the effect of curcumin, a natural polyphenolic compound in a popular spice known as turmeric, on the hepatic and renal impairment caused by ACR exposure to 40 mg/kg for 4 weeks in rats. The administration of curcumin at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg to ACR-intoxicated rats significantly decreased the serum levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, creatinine, and urea; improved the histological changes of liver and kidney caused by ACR; reduced the number of apoptotic cells; as well as relieved ACR-induced hepatic and renal oxidative stress. Moreover, curcumin inhibited the CYP2E1 overexpression induced by ACR in the liver and kidney tissues. Therefore, curcumin could be applied as a potential strategy for the intervention of ACR-induced systemic toxicity. The inhibition of CYP2E1 might be involved in the protection of curcumin against ACR-induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity.