• Melanie D King, D Jay McCracken, F Marlene Wade, Steffen E Meiler, Cargill H Alleyne, and Krishnan M Dhandapani.
• Department of Neurosurgery, Georgia Health Sciences University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, Georgia 30809, USA.
• J. Neurosurg. 2011 Jul 1;115(1):116-23.

ObjectIntracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Acute hematoma enlargement is an important predictor of neurological injury and poor clinical prognosis; but neurosurgical clot evacuation may not be feasible in all patients and treatment options remain largely supportive. Thus, novel therapeutic approaches to promote hematoma resolution are needed. In the present study, the authors investigated whether the curry spice curcumin limited neurovascular injury following ICH in mice.MethodsIntracerebral hemorrhage was induced in adult male CD-1 mice by intracerebral administration of collagenase or autologous blood. Clinically relevant doses of curcumin (75-300 mg/kg) were administered up to 6 hours after ICH, and hematoma volume, inflammatory gene expression, blood-brain barrier permeability, and brain edema were assessed over the first 72 hours. Neurological assessments were performed to correlate neurovascular protection with functional outcomes.ResultsCurcumin increased hematoma resolution at 72 hours post-ICH. This effect was associated with a significant reduction in the expression of the proinflammatory mediators, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β. Curcumin also reduced disruption of the blood-brain barrier and attenuated the formation of vasogenic edema following ICH. Consistent with the reduction in neuroinflammation and neurovascular injury, curcumin significantly improved neurological outcome scores after ICH.ConclusionsCurcumin promoted hematoma resolution and limited neurological injury following ICH. These data may indicate clinical utility for curcumin as an adjunct therapy to reduce brain injury and improve patient outcome.

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