Hepatoprotective Potential of Curcumin in the Prevention of Liver Dysfunction in a Porcine Model

Curcumin, the major polyphenolic constituent of <i>Curcuma longa</i>, has been widely investigated as a hepatoprotective adjunct due to its antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties. This review evaluates the relevance of curcumin for the prevention and management of liver dysfunction and hepatitis in pigs by synthesizing available porcine evidence and integrating mechanistic insights from translational liver injury models where pig-specific data remain limited. Across experimental hepatic injury contexts, curcumin administration is most consistently associated with reduced biochemical and structural indicators of hepatocellular damage, including decreased aminotransferase activity, attenuation of lipid peroxidation, and enhancement of endogenous antioxidant defenses. These effects are mechanistically linked to suppression of pro-inflammatory signaling pathways, particularly NF-κB-related transcriptional activity and inflammasome-associated responses, together with reduced expression of key cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Concurrent activation of Nrf2-centered cytoprotective pathways and induction of phase II antioxidant enzymes (including HO-1, GST, and NQO1) appear to constitute a conserved axis supporting hepatic oxidative stress resilience. In swine-relevant infectious settings, available data further support antiviral activity against selected porcine pathogens, including classical swine fever virus and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, potentially mediated through interference with lipid-dependent stages of viral replication and modulation of Kupffer cell activation. Although combination strategies with established hepatoprotective approaches are conceptually attractive, current synergy evidence remains heterogeneous and largely extrapolated. Overall, curcumin represents a plausible adjunct candidate for supporting porcine liver health; however, translation into practice will depend on resolving formulation-dependent bioavailability constraints and strengthening the pig-specific evidence base.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Nutrients
Published
2026-01-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030408
Primary Topic
Curcumin's Biomedical Applications
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Hepatoprotective Potential of Curcumin in the Prevention of Liver Dysfunction in a Porcine Model

Paweł Wysocki, Magdalena Ogłuszka, Adam Okorski, Kaja Ziółkowska-Twarowska et al.
Nutrients
Curcumin's Biomedical Applications
article

Hepatoprotective Potential of Curcumin in the Prevention of Liver Dysfunction in a Porcine Model

Paweł Wysocki, Magdalena Ogłuszka, Adam Okorski, Kaja Ziółkowska-Twarowska, Garima Kalra, Grzegorz R. Juszczak, Michael Oster, Henry Reyer, M. Ożgo, ANGELIKA TKACZYK-WLIZŁO, Agnieszka Herosimczyk, Katarzyna Kępka, Krzysztof Kowal, Urszula Czarnik, Katarzyna Chałaśkiewicz, Frieder Hadlich, Nares Trakooljul, Paweł Grychnik, A. Pomianowski, Mariusz Pierzchała, Marta Marynowska, Adam Lepczyński, B. Slaska, W. Kozera, Krzysztof Karpiesiuk, Ewa Poławska, İwona OTROCKA-DOMAGAŁA, M. Lecewicz, Athul P. Kurian, Nihal Purohit, Kamila Kibitlewska, Klaus Wimmers, Varunkumar S. Asediya, Avon Augustin Nalpadan, Hiroaki Taniguchi, Prarthana Sharma, Rafał Radosław Starzyński, Elżbieta Redlarska, Sharmin Sultana, Siriluck Ponsuksili, Chandra Shekhar Pareek, Łukasz Zielonka
article en

Abstract

Curcumin, the major polyphenolic constituent of <i>Curcuma longa</i>, has been widely investigated as a hepatoprotective adjunct due to its antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties. This review evaluates the relevance of curcumin for the prevention and management of liver dysfunction and hepatitis in pigs by synthesizing available porcine evidence and integrating mechanistic insights from translational liver injury models where pig-specific data remain limited. Across experimental hepatic injury contexts, curcumin administration is most consistently associated with reduced biochemical and structural indicators of hepatocellular damage, including decreased aminotransferase activity, attenuation of lipid peroxidation, and enhancement of endogenous antioxidant defenses. These effects are mechanistically linked to suppression of pro-inflammatory signaling pathways, particularly NF-κB-related transcriptional activity and inflammasome-associated responses, together with reduced expression of key cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Concurrent activation of Nrf2-centered cytoprotective pathways and induction of phase II antioxidant enzymes (including HO-1, GST, and NQO1) appear to constitute a conserved axis supporting hepatic oxidative stress resilience. In swine-relevant infectious settings, available data further support antiviral activity against selected porcine pathogens, including classical swine fever virus and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, potentially mediated through interference with lipid-dependent stages of viral replication and modulation of Kupffer cell activation. Although combination strategies with established hepatoprotective approaches are conceptually attractive, current synergy evidence remains heterogeneous and largely extrapolated. Overall, curcumin represents a plausible adjunct candidate for supporting porcine liver health; however, translation into practice will depend on resolving formulation-dependent bioavailability constraints and strengthening the pig-specific evidence base.

NutrientsVol. 18(3)
West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin (PL), University of Life Sciences in Lublin (PL), Nicolaus Copernicus University (PL), Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PL), Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN) (DE), Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique (MA), University of Veterinary Medicine (HU), University of Rostock (DE), University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (PL), Polish Academy of Sciences (PL)
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
Good health and well-being
Openalex Percentile: Top 75%
Curcumin's Biomedical Applications
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.