Effects of Curcuma comosa on the expression of atherosclerosis-involved cytokine genes in rabbits fed with high cholesterol diet

Abstract

Curcuma comosa Roxb. (Zingiberaceae), an indigenous plant in Thailand, has been used traditionally for treatment of abdominal uterine symptoms. It was shown to lower plasma lipid levels thus potentially be used in cardiovascular disease. Lipid lowering drugs like HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors including simvastatin were implicated with manifestation of liver toxicity. In the present study, we therefore investigated anti-atheroslcerosis effects and liver toxicity of C. comosa by assessing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes and anti-inflammatory cytokine genes in aorta and liver isolated from rabbits fed with high cholesterol diet combined with C. comosa compared to the rabbits fed with high cholesterol diet either alone or combined with simvastatin for three months. The results showed that C. comosa significantly decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, MCP-1, and TNF- α expression but did not affect anti-inflammation cytokines in the aorta as compared to the high cholesterol diet control group while simvastatin decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-i β but did not alter anti-inflammatory cytokines expression in aorta as compared to rabbits fed with high-cholesterol diet. In the livers, C. comosa did not alter all of the proinflammatory cytokines (IL-i β, MCP-1 and TNF- α) but significantly increased the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10 not TGF- β. Simvastatin significantly increased the expression of proinflammatory cytokines such as MCP-1 and TNF- α but not IL-1β while the expression of IL-10 and TGF- β were not affected by simvastatin as compared to the high cholesterol diet group. In conclusion, the anti-inflammatory activity in the aorta and non-deteriorated effect in the liver of C. comosa shown in this study suggested that C. comosa is a potentially candidate to be developed as an alternative agent for cardiovascular disease therapy.