The effect of microgravity is more pronounced after long-duration space flights and can even last for several weeks after landing. The extensive research is going on the preventation of peroxidative damage due to microgravity. It has been evident that curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a yellow pigment in curry powder exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and proapoptotic activities. To determine the preventive effects of curcumin on peroxidative damage due to two bed rest conditions, 20 healthy male volunteers were equally divided into two groups ( 10 with curcumin and 10 without curcumin ). They were studied in condition before, during, and just on bed rest conditions at -6° head-down-tilt (HDT) bed rest for 10 days. We measured the salivary and serum oxidative markers such as Malonaldehyde, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, vitamin C and E just before HDT , during HDT experiment, and in course time of recovery with curcumin and without curcumin groups. The values of serum and salivary Vitamin C & E showed statistically significant decrease in both bed rest conditions as compared to the condition before and during the recovery stage. However, levels were not significantly lowered in curcumin groups in contrast to the groups without curcumin ( Table- 1, P<0.05) . MDA and 8-OHdG levels showed significant increase in simulating microgravity condition as compared to the condition before and in the recovery stage. Hence, curcumin prevent peroxidative damage in simulated conditions. Further study is required on antioxidation actions of curcumin in space microgravity conditions.

Key Words: Curcumin, Serum, Saliva, oxidative stress, two bed rest position, space microgravity.