Terpene-conjugated curcumin analogs alleviated alcoholic liver injury in rats through mitigation of intestinal barrier abnormalities

Turmeric, widely used in culinary and medicinal practices, contains curcumin , a bioactive compound known for its hepatoprotective properties. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of terpene-conjugated curcumin (TCC), a turmeric extract, in an alcoholic liver disease (ALD) model using 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were randomly divided into seven groups: control, model, metadoxine-positive (200 mg/kg), TCC-low (40 mg/kg), TCC-moderate (80 mg/kg), TCC-high (160 mg/kg), and blank solvent, and received treatments for 8 weeks. ALD was induced in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats using a Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet containing ethanol. Compared with the control group, the model group exhibited significant hepatic injury, lipid accumulation, inflammation, and intestinal barrier dysfunction (P < 0.05), confirming successful establishment of the ALD model. TCC treatment significantly improved liver function, reduced lipid accumulation, and alleviated inflammation relative to the model group (P < 0.05). Mechanistically, TCC inhibited the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway, reduced endotoxin translocation, enhanced the expression of intestinal tight junction proteins , and promoted secretory IgA (sIgA) secretion. In addition, TCC modulated the gut microbiota by increasing beneficial bacteria and reducing harmful ones. These findings suggest that TCC, a bioactive curcumin derivative, holds promise as a functional food ingredient for the prevention and management of ALD. • Reveals TCC's potential in preventing liver diseases, especially alcoholic injury. • Demonstrates TCC's regulation of gut flora via the TLR4/NF-κB/MyD88 pathway. • Proposes a novel approach to utilize turmeric's bioactive component TCC. • Highlights TCC's role in preventing liver diseases under "food-medicine homology.".