Asian Journal of Cell Biology1814-00682152-3517Academic Journals Inc.10.3923/ajcb.2013.22.32B. PatelPinaki ThakkarVasudev 1201381Curcumin has a concentration based effect on normal cells and its mechanism
of action is very intriguing. Effect of various concentrations of curcumin on
wild type Schizosaccharomyces pombe cells was studied with an aim to
evaluate possibility of combining curcumin with chemotherapeutic drugs and to
gain an insight into its mechanism of action in normal cells. Effect of 5-fluorouracil
or curcumin independently and in combination on cell growth, reactive oxygen
species generation, antioxidant enzyme activity, DNA integrity and cell cycle
arrest were studied. Curcumin at 5 μM and above concentrations reduced
the cell growth, increased reactive oxygen species and arrested the cell cycle
in G1/S phase in untransformed cells. Treatment of 5-fluorouracil also reduced
cell growth and led to increased reactive oxygen species. However, combination
of lower concentration of curcumin with 5-fluorouracil could control reactive
oxygen species levels and prevent DNA damage. The cells never entered into apoptosis
due to curcumin treatment up to 10 μM concentration, as observed by DNA
pattern in gel. Curcumin prevented the DNA damage by activation of natural antioxidation
mechanism in cells as observed by increase in total glutathione level and catalase
activity. In conclusion, curcumin showed concentration based effect on growth
of S. pombe cells and its combination with 5-flurouracil was found to
be beneficial in controlling the cell growth and toxic reactive oxygen species
levels.]]>Balaji S. and B. Chempakam,2010Curcuma longa L).]]>4829512959Banerjee, P., S.N. Talapatra, N. Mandal, G. Sundaram, A. Mukhopadhyay, D. Chattopadhyay and S.K. Banerjee,2008Schizosaccharomyces pombe exposed to drinking water.]]>46402407Banjerdpongchai, R.,2006453143Beers, Jr. R.F. and I.W. Sizer,1952195133140Benzie, I.F.F. and J.J. Strain,19992991527Du, B., L. Jiang, Q. Xia and L. Zhong,2006522328Chen, J., D. Wanming, D. Zhang, Q. Liu and J. Kang,2005605761Chirnomas, D., T. Taniguchi, M. de la Vega, A.P. Vaidya and M. Vasserman et al.,20065952961Fleury, C., M. Pampin, A. Tarze and B. Mignotte,2002225979Lev-Ari, S., L. Strier, D. Kazanov, L. Madar-Shapiro and H. Dvory-Sobol et al.,20051167386744Hail, Jr.N.,20084413821393Matsuyama, S., S. Nouraini and J.C. Reed,19992618623Rahman, I., S.K. Biswas and P.A. Kirkham,20067214391452Ravindran, J., S. Prasad and B.B. Aggarwal,200911495510Sa, G. and T. Das,200831414Seiple, L., P. Jaruga, M. Dizdaroglu and J.T. Stivers,200634140151Sies, H and T.P.M. Akerboom,1984105445451Syng-Ai, C., A.L. Kumari and A. Khar,2004311011108Mager, W.H. and J. Winderickx,200526265273Lu, H.F., J.S. Yang, K.C. Lai, S.C. Hsu and S.C. Hsueh et al.,20093414911497Penninckx, M.,200026737742Piwocka, K., E. Jaruga, J. Skierski, I. Gradzka and E. Sikora,200131670678Venkatesan, N., D. Punithavathi and V. Arumugam,2000129231234White, E.L., L.J. Ross, S.M. Schmid, G.J. Kelloff, V.E. Steele and D.L. Hill,19985507512Lee, Y.Y., S.J. Kim, E.H. Park and C.J. Lim,200341248251