Curcumin enhances liver SIRT3 expression in the rat model of cirrhosis

Objectives Bill duct ligation (BDL) is a representative model of biliary cholestasis in animals. Curcumin has a protective effect on the liver; however, its underlying mechanisms are not completely known. This study explored the hepatoprotective activity of curcumin on hepatic damage via measuring the expression of sirtuin3 (SIRT3), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT-1A), isocitrate dehydrogenase2 (IDH2) and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) as well as the level of serum lipid profile in the BDL fibrotic rat model. Materials and Methods The study consisted of four groups (n=8 for each of Wistar rats): sham group, sham+curcumin (sham+Cur) group (received curcumin 100 mg/kg/day), BDL+Cur group, and BDL group. Transcription levels of SIRT3, AMPK, CPT-1A, IDH2, MnSOD and protein expression level of SIRT3 were measured by real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Results It was identified that SIRT3, AMPK, CPT-1A, IDH2 and MnSOD expression significantly decreased in BDL rats compared to sham rats; however, in the curcumin treatment of BDL rats, the expression of these factors increased significantly compared to BDL (P<0.05). It was, moreover, observed that treatment of BDL rats with curcumin reduced liver injury as verified by a reduction in the levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (P <0.05). Conclusion Curcumin reduced liver damage and oxidative stress in the liver tissue of BDL rats through up-regulation of SIRT3, AMPK, CPT-1A, IDH2 and MnSOD as well as changing the level of serum lipid profile.