EVALUATION OF PROTECTIVE AND THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF CURCUMIN ON CADMIUM CHLORIDE INDUCED RESPIRATORY TOXICITY IN SWISS ALBINO MICE (MUS MUSCULUS) ON THE BASIS OF HISTOPATHOLOGICAL, HISTOENZYMOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ASSESSMENT.

Curcumin derived from turmeric has been attributed with immense potential to combat innumerable ailments, especially inflammation related disorders. In contrast to the beneficial effects of curcumin cadmium an omnipresent transitional element, is a known environmental toxicant of twentieth century. Hence the aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective and therapeutic potential of curcumin on cadmium chloride induced respiratory toxicity in Swiss Albino Mice (Musmusculus) on the basis of histopathological, histoenzymological and biochemical assessment. The study constituted of three experimental groups, each comprising of six mice viz. Control group- administered only vehicle; (a) experimental group administered curcumin (10mg/animal/day); (b) experimental group administered cadmium chloride (50mg/kg/animal/day) and (c) experimental group administered curcumin (10mg/animal/day) for 15 days and on the 16th day administered cadmium chloride (50mg/kg/animal/day). As compared to control group, lungs of only cadmium treated mice showed altered histopathological profile, as manifested by thickening of interalveolar septa, aggregation of lymphocyte infiltration etc. These cadmium treated mice assessed for lactate dehydrogenase by biochemical and histoenzymological means showed significant elevated distribution pattern. In experimental group pretreated with curcumin did not reveal such acute histopathological deterioration and in the histochemical profile the assessed biochemical levels were similar to that of control.