Curcumin (Curcuma longa Protects Against the Adverse Effect of Long Term Administration of Lithium on Cerebral and Cerebellar Cortices in Rats Histological and Immunohistochemical Study

Administration of lithium, antide- pressant and psychiatric medica- tion, is always prolonged. This study was aimed to detect the adverse effects of long term administration of lithium on cerebral and cerebellar cortices in rats in addition to assess the possible protective effect of cur- cumin using histological and im- munohistochemical methods. Rats were divided into 3 groups (10 for each); group I (control) given dis- tilled water and DMSO orally, group II received lithium carbonate dis- solved in distilled water (150 mg/ kg b. wt. / day / intragastric), and group III received curcumin dissolved in 50% DMSO (200 mg/ kg b. wt. / day/ intragastric) 1 hr before lithium carbonate administration for 6 weeks. We examined the cerebrum and cerebellum of rats for glial reactions and cell proliferation by using mmunolabelling for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and Ki67, respectively. In lithium treated group, both cerebral and cerebellar corti- ces showed an increased number of positive glial cells for GFAP that was decreased in curcumin treated group. For ki67, cerebral and cere- bellar cortices of both lithium and curcumin treated groups showed an increased number of ki67 immuno- positive cells. This study advises to administrate curcumin in concomi- tant with lithium therapy as it can protect against lithium neurotoxicity.