The Ameliorative Effect of Curcumin in HIV Protease Inhibitor-Induced Dyslipidaemia in Wistar Albino Rats
Lawrence John Ajutor
*
Jericho Chest Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Oluwaseun Shoyebo Gideon
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ilorin, Nigeria.
Opeoluwa Alayande
Investigation and Design Department, Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority, Nigeria.
Tosin Abiodun Aderanti
Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Nigeria.
Enobong Edoabasi Obong
Department of Neurology, Washington University Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America.
Chinaecherem Peace Okafor
Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Although HIV protease inhibitors (PIs) are essential for antiretroviral therapy's viral suppression, they have also been closely linked to the emergence of dyslipidaemia and oxidative stress, two conditions that put patients at risk for cardiovascular problems. Curcumin is an active polyphenol in Curcuma longa, which has received increasing attention for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-modulating properties, suggesting a potential role in mitigating drug-induced metabolic derangements.
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the ameliorative effects of curcumin on HIV PI–induced dyslipidaemia and oxidative stress in Wistar albino rats.
Methods: Twenty-four adult male rats were randomized into four groups (n = 6): Control, Curcumin only (100 mg/kg), PI only (lopinavir 50 mg/kg + ritonavir 12.5 mg/kg), and PI + Curcumin (same PI regimen with curcumin supplementation introduced after two weeks of PI). Treatments were administered daily via oral gavage for six weeks. Serum lipid profile was analysed for total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-C, LDL-C, and TC/HDL ratio, while liver homogenates were assessed for oxidative stress markers including malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and reduced glutathione (GSH).
Results: Findings showed that PI treatment significantly (p<0.001) elevated lipid parameters, TC, TG, LDL-C, and TC/HDL ratio, and reduced HDL-C, while also increasing MDA and reducing antioxidant enzymes (all p<0.05). Curcumin co-treatment reversed these alterations, lowering TC and TG by ~15–20% and restoring antioxidant enzyme levels toward control values. Curcumin alone did not alter lipid or oxidative parameters.
Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that curcumin may effectively mitigate PI-induced dyslipidaemia and oxidative stress, highlighting its potential as a safe adjunct to improve metabolic outcomes in HIV therapy. Further clinical research is warranted to validate these protective effects and to inform the integration of curcumin supplementation into comprehensive HIV care.
Keywords: Curcumin, HIV protease inhibitors, dyslipidaemia, oxidative stress, antioxidant enzymes, wistar rats