Curcumin as an Antioxidant Against Ziprasidone Induced Lipid Peroxidation in Human Plasma: Potential Relevance to Cortico Subcortical Circuit Function

Oxidative stress observed in schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders can induce neuronal damage and modulate intracellular signaling, ultimately leading to neuronal death by apoptosis or necrosis. The aim of this study was to estimate in vitro the possible antioxidant properties of curcumin, the natural polyphenolic antioxidant, and its protective effects against lipid peroxidation induced by the atypical antipsychotic Ziprasidone. Curcumin (5 µg/mL, 12.5 µg/mL, 25 µg/mL, 50 µg/mL) was added to human plasma and incubated for 1 and 24 h, alone and in the presence of Ziprasidone (40 ng/mL, 139 ng/mL, 250 ng/mL). Control plasma samples were incubated for 1 and 24 h. The concentration of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARSs; lipid peroxidation marker) was determined by the spectrophotometric method according to Rice-Evans. Curcumin at the tested concentrations significantly inhibited lipid peroxidation in human plasma by about 60%. Ziprasidone (40 ng/mL, 139 ng/mL, 250 ng/mL) significantly increased TBARS levels, but in the presence of the studied curcumin concentrations, its pro-oxidative effects were reduced by about 56%. Our results confirm that Ziprasidone in vitro may induce lipid peroxidation in human plasma, whereas curcumin protects against lipid peroxidation in human plasma caused by the antipsychotic Ziprasidone.