Safeguarding Benefits of Curcumin on DNA Damage in Benzo(a)anthracene Treated Male Wistar Rats

The integrity of genomic material is vital for organismal health, yet it is frequently compromised by environ-mental toxicants. This study evaluated the protective effects of curcumin against benzo[a]anthracene-inducedDNA damage in male Wistar rats. Five treatment groups were established: benzo[a]anthracene (1 mg) alone,benzo[a]anthracene (1 mg/kg bw) with curcumin at 50 mg/kg bw, 100 mg/kg bw, or 200 mg/kg bw, and a con-trol group receiving neither treatment. Following a 7-day acclimatisation period, rats were orally administeredbenzo[a]anthracene and curcumin every other day for 6 weeks. After sacrifice, liver tissues were extracted,and DNA damage was assessed using an Oxidative DNA Damage ELISA Kit (8-OHdG Determination). Asignificant increase in DNA damage was observed in the livers of benzo[a]anthracene-treated rats comparedto controls. Conversely, co-treatment with curcumin significantly reduced DNA damage (p < 0.05) in a dose-dependent manner compared to the benzo[a]anthracene-only group. These results demonstrate curcumin’sefficacy in mitigating the genotoxic effects of benzo[a]anthracene, highlighting its potential as a protectiveagent against environmental toxicants.