Optimal dose-setting study of curcumin for improvement of left ventricular systolic function after myocardial infarction in rats

A natural p300-specific histone acetyltransferase inhibitor,curcumin,may have a therapeutic potential for heart failure. however,a study of curcumin to identify an appropriate dose for heart failure has yet to be performed. rats were subjected to a left coronary artery ligation. one week later,rats with a moderate severity of myocardial infarction (mi) were randomly assigned to 4 groups receiving the following: a solvent as a control,a low dose of curcumin (0.5 mg·kg-1·day-1),a medium dose of curcumin (5 mg·kg-1·day-1),or a high dose of curcumin (50 mg·kg-1·day-1). daily oral treatment was continued for 6 weeks. after treatment,left ventricular (lv) fractional shortening was dose-dependently improved in the high-dose (25.2% ± 1.6%,p < 0.001 vs. vehicle) and medium-dose (19.6% ± 2.4%) groups,but not in the low-dose group (15.5% ± 1.4%) compared with the vehicle group (15.1% ± 0.8%). the histological cardiomyocyte diameter and perivascular fibrosis as well as echocardiographic lv posterior wall thickness dose-dependently decreased in the groups receiving high and medium doses. the beneficial effects of oral curcumin on the post-mi lv systolic function are lower at 5 compared to 50 mg·kg1·day1 and disappear at 0.5 mg·kg1·day1. to clinically apply curcumin therapy for heart failure patients,a precise,optimal dose-setting study is required. © the japanese pharmacological society. © the japanese pharmacological society .