Curcumin attenuates neuroinflammation and improves cognitive function in a rat model of febrile convulsions

This study aimed to investigate the effects of curcumin on neuroinflammation and cognitive function in a rat model of febrile convulsions (FC). This study was conducted on 10-day-old male Wistar rat pups, randomly assigned to four groups: Control, Curcumin, FC, and FC + Curcumin. FC were induced by placing the rats in a 44 °C water bath until convulsions occurred or for a maximum of 4 min. Curcumin (200 mg/kg/day) was administered intraperitoneally for seven consecutive days before FC induction. Neuroinflammation was assessed by measuring hippocampal and serum TNF-α and IL-1β levels using ELISA. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Morris Water Maze (MWM) test, where escape latency, swimming speed, and distance traveled were recorded, followed by a probe test on Day 5 to assess memory retention. Motor coordination was assessed using the Rotarod test, measuring latency to fall. Curcumin treatment significantly reduced hippocampal TNF-α levels in the FC model (FC group: 145.3 ± 12.1 pg/mL vs. FC + Curcumin group: 98.6 ± 9.4 pg/mL, p = 0.001). In the MWM test, curcumin-treated rats exhibited shorter escape latencies and improved spatial memory performance compared to the FC group (p < 0.05). By Day 4, the curcumin-treated group had a significantly shorter escape latency (FC group: 42.8 ± 5.9 s vs. FC + Curcumin group: 25.3 ± 4.1 s, p = 0.002) and traveled a shorter distance to reach the platform (FC group: 335.4 ± 22.8 cm vs. FC + Curcumin group: 192.6 ± 18.3 cm, p = 0.001). Curcumin administration significantly reduced FC termination time (FC group: 96.7 ± 7.4 s vs. FC + Curcumin group: 62.5 ± 5.9 s, p = 0.001). Curcumin exerts neuroprotective effects in FC by reducing hippocampal neuroinflammation and improving cognitive function. These findings suggest that curcumin could be a promising therapeutic agent in managing febrile seizure-related neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction. Further studies are warranted to explore its long-term efficacy and clinical applicability.