Bioavailability of curcumin.

<p>Amount of curcumin detected by LC-MS/MS analysis in the eye and brain tissues of curcumin administered SD rats. (A) Representative LC-MS/MS chromatogram of curcumin (standard) and naringenin (internal standard). (B) Delivery of curcumin to ocular tissues and brain of SD rats following oral administration. Data are expressed as mean ± SD for n = 4.</p

Decreased expression of ER stress markers in curcumin treated COS-7 cells expressing mutant rhodopsin.

<p>Quantitative expression of ER stress responsive genes <i>Grp78/Bip</i> and <i>Chop</i> were determined by qRT-PCR. Expression values were presented on an arbitrary scale (<i>y</i>-axis) after normalization with the house keeping gene RPL-19. Data represent the mean (±SD) on an arbitrary scale and were calculated from at least three independent observations. P<0.001 (**), and P<0.025(*).</p

Improved retinal morphology and gene expression of P23H transgenic rats upon administration of curcumin.

<p>Light micrographs of retinal sections from untreated control (A) and curcumin treated (B) and wild type Wistar rat retina (C) P23H-R transgenic rats demonstrated a significant improvement in retinal morphology in curcumin administered rats compared to untreated controls. OS = outer segments; IS = inner segments; ONL = outer nuclear layer; OPL = outer plexiform layer and INL = inner nuclear layer; IPL = inner plexiform layer; GC: Ganglion cell layer. The thickness of the ONL and INL in curcumin treated rats were quantified using Aperio Image Scope software Ver. 10.2.2.2319 program (D). We found significant increase in the thickness of both ONL (p≤3.6∧-07) and INL (p≤2∧-05) of the retina of curcumin treated P23H rats when compared to vehicle treated P23H rats. The results are presented as Mean± SD with ** denoting p-values<0.005. Quantitative expression of rod photoreceptor specific markers <i>Rho and Rom-1</i> and cone specific makers <i>S-Opsin</i> and <i>M-Opsin</i>(E) demonstrated an increased expression in curcumin treated rat retinas (Gray bars) is compared to untreated controls (white bars). Gene expression data is calculated from at least 3 independent samples, each of which was analyzed at least in 3 replication reactions. The results are presented as Mean± SD with ** denoting p-values<0.005.</p

Modulation of ER stress response in curcumin treated P23H-R retina.

<p>Expression of ER stress response genes (<i>A</i>) <i>Grp78/BiP</i> and (<i>B</i>) <i>CHOP</i> in the retina of P23H-R transgenic rats treated daily with (100 mg/kg body weight) curcumin from postnatal day seven (P7) to P15 or P20 or P30 and age matched untreated controls . Expression values are presented on an arbitrary scale after normalization with the house keeping gene <i>RPL-19</i>. Data represents the mean (± SD) expression levels in curcumin treated animals (white) relative to untreated controls (black) at each time point with ** denoting p-values<0.01.</p

ERG response from untreated Line 1 P23H-R transgenic animals (n = 5, pattern or dashed lines in all panels) and those treated with curcumin at 100 mg/kg body weight dose (n = 13. Solid lines/bars in all panels).

<p>(A) The treated animals have improved scotopic A and B-wave amplitudes and improved (B) photopic B-wave amplitudes across all intensities compared to untreated rats. (C) The amplitude latencies remain unchanged in untreated rats suggesting no appreciable change in photoreceptor function. While A and B-wave amplitudes are clearly improved in the treated animals, a statistically significant (students t-test p<0.05) difference is observed in the maximum scotopic and photopic B-wave amplitudes of treated rats when compared to untreated P23H-R transgenic controls (D).</p