Curcumol reduces lower limb arteriosclerosis in rats by inhibiting human arterial smooth muscle cell activity

Abstract Cardiovascular diseases, particularly those involving arterial stenosis and smooth muscle cell proliferation, pose significant health risks. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of curcumol in inhibiting platelet‐derived growth factor‐BB (PDGF‐BB)‐induced human aortic smooth muscle cell (HASMC) proliferation, migration and autophagy. Using cell viability assays, 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation assays and Western Blot analyses, we observed that curcumol effectively attenuated PDGF‐BB‐induced HASMC proliferation and migration in a concentration‐dependent manner. Furthermore, curcumol mitigated PDGF‐BB‐induced autophagy, as evidenced by the downregulation of LC3‐II/LC3‐I ratio and upregulation of P62. In vivo experiments using an arteriosclerosis obliterans model demonstrated that curcumol treatment significantly ameliorated arterial morphology and reduced stenosis. Additionally, curcumol inhibited the activity of the KLF5/COX2 axis, a key pathway in vascular diseases. These findings suggest that curcumol has the potential to serve as a multi‐target therapeutic agent for vascular diseases.