Curcumin as active metal chelating and antioxidant agent has a potential role in metal reduction and free radicals’ neutralization in tissues. Of note, long-term administration of high fat diet (HFD) is considered as a main factor of blood serum iron deficiency. This study aimed to investigate the biodistribution profiles of iron in the spleen after long-term administration of HFD along with iron supplementation. Furthermore, the ameliorative role of curcumin to reduce iron accumulation level and improve the histological abnormalities produced by iron in spleen will be evaluated in the rats. Treated albino rats of this experiment were divided into six groups. Group I was a control group where group II was treated with HFD. Group III and group IV were treated with combination of HFD and curcumin or HFD and iron supplement respectively. Additionally, group V and group VI were treated with combination of HFD, iron supplement and curcumin or curcumin only respectively. Mainly histological analysis was used to investigate iron biodistribution and induced abnormalities in spleen under light microscope. The histochemical specific staining of iron in the spleen showed different biodistribution profiles of iron in the spleen. Administration of the HFD or HFD and iron supplementation increased the iron accumulation in the spleen. Where, curcumin administration with HFD (Group III) or with HFD and iron supplementation (Group V) significantly reduced the iron levels in the spleen. The splenic tissue inflammation, cellular apoptosis and fibrosis produced by higher iron accumulation was ameliorated after administration of curcumin supplementation as shown in the animals treated with HFD/curcumin (Group III) or HFD/iron supplement/curcumin (Group V). This study recommended that, it is preferable to use iron supplementation along with curcumin supplement for less than 4 months to avoid additional iron accumulation in the healthy organs.

姜黄素作为活性金属螯合剂和抗氧化剂在组织中金属还原和自由基中和中具有潜在的作用。值得注意的是，长期高脂饮食（HFD）被认为是导致血清铁缺乏的主要因素。本研究旨在调查长期服用 HFD 和铁补充剂后脾脏中铁的生物分布曲线。此外，姜黄素对降低铁积累水平和改善脾脏中铁产生的组织学异常的改善作用将在大鼠中进行评估。本实验的治疗白化大鼠分为六组。第 I 组是对照组，第 II 组用 HFD 治疗。III组和IV组分别采用HFD和姜黄素或HFD和铁补充剂的组合治疗。此外，V组和VI组分别给予HFD、铁剂和姜黄素或仅姜黄素联合治疗。主要通过组织学分析在光学显微镜下研究铁的生物分布和脾脏中诱导的异常。脾脏中铁的组织化学特异性染色显示脾脏中铁的不同生物分布曲线。HFD 或 HFD 和铁补充剂的施用增加了脾脏中的铁积累。其中，姜黄素与 HFD（第 III 组）或 HFD 和铁补充剂（第 V 组）一起给药显着降低了脾脏中的铁水平。脾组织炎症，如用 HFD/姜黄素（III 组）或 HFD/铁补充剂/姜黄素（V 组）处理的动物所示，在施用姜黄素补充剂后，由较高铁积累产生的细胞凋亡和纤维化得到改善。该研究建议，最好将铁补充剂与姜黄素补充剂一起使用少于 4 个月，以避免在健康器官中额外积聚铁。