Curcumin prevents muscle damage by regulating NF-kB and Nrf2 pathways and improves performance: an in vivo model Kazim Sahin,1 Ragip Pala,2 Mehmet Tuzcu,3 Oguzhan Ozdemir,3 Cemal Orhan,1 Nurhan Sahin,1 Vijaya Juturu4 1Department of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 2Department of Movement and Training Science, 3Department of Biology, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey; 4OmniActive Health Technologies Inc., Morristown, NJ, USA Purpose: Exercise (Ex) increases reactive oxygen species and impairs antioxidant defense systems. Recent data suggest that curcumin (CW) possesses peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma activity and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the effects of CW supplementation on Ex performance, endurance, and changes in serum and muscle proteins in rats after exhaustive Ex.Materials and methods: Twenty-eight (28) male Wistar rats (age: 8 weeks and body weight: 180±20 g) were divided into four treatment groups: 1) control (C; no Ex), 2) C + CW (no Ex + CW), 3) C + Ex, and 4) C + Ex + CW (Ex + CW). CW was administered as 100 mg/kg CurcuWIN®, providing 20 mg of curcuminoids daily for 6 weeks. A motor-driven rodent treadmill was used to carry out the Ex protocols. During a 5-day period, animals in chronic Ex groups were put through different regimens: day 1, 10 m/min for 10 minutes; day 2, 20 m/min for 10 minutes; day 3, 25 m/min for 10 minutes; day 4, 25 m/min for 20 minutes; and day 5, 25 m/min for 30 minutes. Animals were exercised at 25 m/min for 45 min/d for 5 d/wk for 6 weeks. Blood and muscle samples were analyzed for muscle markers, oxidative stress, and antioxidant markers.Results: Lactate and muscle malondialdehyde levels decreased in the CW-treated groups (P

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a polyphenol derived from green tea, exerts antioxidant effects. Oxidative stress is one of the consequences of he