Abstract: AIM: To study the effect of curcumin onthe extracellular matrix of aorta in cardiac overloadedrats. METHODS: Cardiac overloaded model was madeby partial click of the abdominal aorta in Sprague-Dawleyrats.Curcmin, 100mg·kg-1·d-1 for 3 weeks, was givenby po 1 week after the click operation.The ratio of aortawet weight to body weight was calculated;the collagencontent was measured with Woessner's method and theactivity of matrix metallproteinase-2 was analyzed with zymography. RESULTS: In cardiac overloaded rats, thewet weight and collagen content of aorta was increased,and the activity of matrix metallproteinse-2 of aorta wasdecreased.Compared with the cardiac overloaded ratswithout any drugs, the increased weight and collagen contentof aorta was reversed, but the activity of matrix metallproteinse-2 of aorta was seldom changed in curcumintreatedrats. CONCLUSION: Curcumin can reverse thehypertrophy of aorta of cardiac overloaded rats mainly bymeans of inhibiting the synthesis of collagen.

Key words: pharmacology, curcumin, overload, extracellular matrix, collagen, matrix metallproteinase