Reduced iron and cobalt levels in response to curcumin supplementation are not responsible for the prolonged larval development and do not affect the oxidative stress tolerance and polyamine status of D. melanogaster

Curcumin supplementation, similar to the iron chelator bathophenanthroline, lowered the iron but also the cobalt content, and to a lesser extent affected the manganese and zinc status ofD. melanogaster. However, these alterations in trace metal balance did not affect catalase activity, oxidative stress tolerance, and polyamine status in fruit flies. In contrast, in curcumin-supplemented mice, the spleen exhibits an elevated spermidine production, which is most probably related to a compensatory growth due to curcumin-induced iron deficiency. AbstractRecent reports indicated that the phytochemical curcumin possesses iron-chelating activity. Here, by employing the fruit flyDrosophila melanogaster, we conducted feeding studies supplementing curcumin or, as a control, the iron chelator bathophenanthroline (BPA). First, the absorption and further metabolization of dietary curcuminoids were proved by metabolomics analyses. Next, we found that 0.2% dietary curcumin, similar to BPA, lowered the iron but also the cobalt content, and to a lesser extent affected the manganese and zinc status. Supplementation during larval stages was required and sufficient for both compounds to elicit these alterations in adult animals. However, curcumin-induced retarded larval development was not attributable to the changed trace metal status. In addition, a reduction in the iron content of up to 70% by curcumin or BPA supplementation did not reduce heme-dependent catalase activity and tolerance toward...
Source: BioFactors - Category: Biochemistry Authors: Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research