Homocysteine (Hcys) is a risk factor involved in the development of cardiovascular diseases. Hcys-induced oxidative stress has been proposed as a major mechanism contributing to the cardiotoxicity. Curcumin (CUR), a powerful antioxidant, exhibits cardioprotective activity against cardiotoxicity. The present study aimed to study the ameliorative action of CUR against cardiotoxicity induced by l-Methionine (MET), a precursor of homocysteine on stereological and biochemical parameters in rats.

Male rats were randomly assigned into control, MET (1 gr/kg/day), CUR (100 mg/kg/day) and MET + CUR groups. On day 29, all rats were anesthetized and their heart was removed for stereological and biochemical assessments. Stereological findings in MET group revealed a decrease by 12% and 35% in the volume of myocardium and microvessels, respectively compared to the control group. However, no significant change was observed in the total volume of connective tissue. The total number of cardiomyocytes nuclei showed a significant decrease by 23% compared to the control group. CUR could prevent changes in stereological parameters extensively in MET group (P < 0.01). CUR also ameliorated MET-induced lipid peroxidation (MDA), glutathione (GSH) depletion and a decrease in nitric oxide (NO) metabolites. Our findings suggest that CUR could prevent the structural disorder induced by MET in the rat cardiac tissues. The antioxidant properties of CUR seem to suppress the oxidative pathways that are activated by MET and lead to cardiac damage and dysfunction.

同型半胱氨酸（Hcys）是参与心血管疾病发展的危险因素。已经提出了Hcys诱导的氧化应激是促成心脏毒性的主要机制。姜黄素（CUR）是一种强大的抗氧化剂，具有抗心脏毒性的心脏保护作用。本研究旨在研究CUR对抗高半胱氨酸前体1-蛋氨酸（MET）诱导的大鼠心脏毒性的改善作用。

将雄性大鼠随机分为对照组，MET（1 gr / kg / day），CUR（100 mg / kg / day）和MET + CUR组。在第29天，将所有大鼠麻醉，并移出它们的心脏以进行体格和生化评估。MET组的体视学发现显示，与对照组相比，心肌和微血管的体积分别减少了12％和35％。然而，在结缔组织的总体积中未观察到显着变化。与对照组相比，心肌细胞核总数显着减少了23％。CUR可以广泛防止MET组的立体参数改变（P < 0.01）。CUR还改善了MET引起的脂质过氧化（MDA），谷胱甘肽（GSH）耗竭和一氧化氮（NO）代谢物减少。我们的发现表明，CUR可以预防MET在大鼠心脏组织中引起的结构异常。CUR的抗氧化特性似乎抑制了MET激活的氧化途径，并导致心脏损害和功能障碍。