Research published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (2008; 118(3):879–893) explored the effects of curcumin on heart muscle cells under conditions that promote abnormal enlargement. Curcumin is a naturally occurring antioxidant compound found in turmeric.
In laboratory experiments, rat heart muscle cells (studied in vitro) were incubated with curcumin for one hour before exposure to phenylephrine, a compound known to stimulate cardiac cell enlargement. The researchers found that curcumin significantly reduced this enlargement, concluding that curcumin “attenuates cardiac hypertrophy in vitro.” In practical terms, curcumin limited the type of heart muscle cell growth associated with cardiomyopathy and heart failure—at least under controlled laboratory conditions.
The researchers also examined curcumin’s effects in living animals. Mice underwent either aortic banding, a surgical procedure used to induce cardiac hypertrophy, or a sham operation. Before surgery, the mice received either curcumin (75 mg/kg per day) or a placebo. Mice given curcumin developed significantly less heart muscle hypertrophy than those receiving placebo. Curcumin also reduced heart muscle enlargement in mice exposed to phenylephrine.
These findings suggest that curcumin may influence cellular pathways involved in cardiac hypertrophy. However, this research was conducted in cell cultures and animal models, and additional studies would be needed to determine whether similar effects occur in humans.
