Beneficial roles of curcumin, the curry spice, in Huntington's disease

Curcumin a highly bioactive principle obtained from Curcuma longa. It possesses a wide range of activities like anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, neuroprotection etc. Various studies in animals have reported that it is against a wide range of human diseases, including diabetes, obesity, neurological and psychiatric disorders and cancer, as well as chronic illnesses affecting the eyes, lungs, liver, kidneys and gastrointestinal and cardiovascular systems. It is shown neuroprotective action in Alzheimer's disease, tardive dyskinesia, major depression, epilepsy, and other related neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. The mechanism by which it acts as a neuroprotective is not clear. However it has been stated that it acts by its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant property. It inhibits reactive microglial and glial cells overactivation and prevents the neuronal cell death. Curcumin enhances neurogenesis, in the frontal cortex and hippocampal regions of the brain. Curcumin also modulates various neurotransmitters in brain. Curcumin is a promising natural agent however the problems associated with its low bioavailability requires great consideration. Glutamate toxicity is one of the major detrimental neurochemical pathways that causes increased intracellular calcium over-load, triggers inflammation and oxidative stress. Curcumin is shown to alleviate glutamate toxicity and in turn neuronal death via inhibition of oxidative stress and apoptosis. Glutamate toxicity also known as excitotoxicity is one of the key perpetrator in induction of neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease. The present chapter summarizes the mechanism of neuroprotective effect of curcumin in Huntington's disease.