Protective effect of curcumin on chloroform as by-product of water chlorination induced cardiotoxicity

Chloroform (CHCl₃) is one of the volatile organic compounds detected most frequently in both ground and surface water. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of curcumin (CMN) to attenuate CHCl₃ toxicity and cellular dysfunction in cardiac tissue of female albino rats. Fifty rats were divided into 5 groups, 1st group was control; 2nd group rats were intoxicated with 150 mg CHCl₃/kg BW; 3rd group rats were treated with 50 mg CMN/kg BW; 4th group rats were treated with 50 mg CMN/kg BW for 30 days then intoxicated with 150 mg CHCl₃/kg BW for 60 days and 5th group rats were intoxicated with 150 mg CHCl₃/kg BW plus 50 mg CMN/kg BW, respectively. Treatment was continued for 90 days. The levels of lipid peroxidation, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and xanthine oxidase (XO) were increased and the activities of antioxidant enzymes, protein content and endogenous antioxidants were decreased in cardiac tissues in rats treated with CHCl₃ in comparison with control group. Serum cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-C levels were increased while high HDL-C was decreased in rats treated with CHCl₃ in comparison with control group. Treatment with CMN helps in improving the adverse effect of CHCl₃ toxicity; also our histological results confirm this finding. The present study could be concluded that CMN has protective and ameliorative effects against CHCl₃ induced oxidative stress.