Preemptive Analgesic and Antioxidative Effect of Curcumin for Experimental Migraine

OBJECTIVE: Our study aimed to investigate the analgesic and antioxidative stress effects of Curcumin (CC) in experimental migraine induced by Nitroglycerin (NTG) on rats, compared with Indomethacin (ID) and Propranolol (PP) treatments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Five groups of 10 rats treated i.p. were investigated: control group (healthy rats) injected with saline solution (0.9%), NTG-control group injected with NTG (1 mg/100 gbw, bw = body weight), and three groups with pretreatment applied 30 min previous to the formalin test (NTG + CC group: Curcumin (10 mg/100 gbw), NTG + PP group: Propranolol (100 μg/100 gbw), and NTG + ID group: Indomethacin (0.5 mg/100 gbw)). Formalin test was performed and number of flinches and shakes were counted. Several oxidative stress parameters were also assessed. RESULTS: The smallest values of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NOx), and total oxidative status (TOS) were observed on NTG + CC with significant differences as compared with the control group (p < 0.0001). The group pretreated with Curcumin proved significantly smaller number of flinches and shakes compared with both NTG + PP and NTG + ID. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates a superior activity of Curcumin not only versus control, but also versus Propranolol and Indomethacin.