Curcuma oil: Reduces early accumulation of oxidative product and is anti-apoptogenic in transient focal ischemia in rat brain

Turmeric is a source of numerous aromatic compounds isolated from powdered rhizomes of Curcuma longa Linn. The constituents are present as volatile oil, the Curcuma oil (C.oil), semi-solid oleoresins and non-volatile compounds such as curcumin. A rapidly expanding body of data provides evidence of the anti-cancer action of Curcumin, and most importantly in the present context, its neuroprotective activity. Almost nothing is known about such activity of C.oil. We report that C.oil (500 mg Kg(-1) i.p.) 15 min before 2 h middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) followed by 24 h reflow in rats significantly diminished infarct volume, improved neurological deficit and counteracted oxidative stress. The percent ischemic lesion volume on diffusion-weighted imaging was significantly attenuated. Mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species, peroxynitrite levels, caspase-3 activities leading to delayed neuronal death were significantly inhibited after treatment with C.oil. These results suggest that the neuroprotective activity of C.oil against cerebral ischemia is associated with its antioxidant activities and further; there is attenuation of delayed neuronal death via a caspase-dependent pathway. C.oil appears to be a promising agent not only for the treatment of cerebral stroke, but also for the treatment of other disorders associated with oxidative stress.