Objective: To investigate the prevention of ethanol extract from Curcumae Radix (CR) on hydrogen peroxide(H2O2)-induced oxidative stress in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Method: HUVEC cells were curtured in Dulbeccos modified essential medium (DMEM) containing 10% fetal bovine serum. The oxidative stress was induced by H2O2-induced in HUVEC. The different experiment groups were designed including normal control group

800 μmol·L-1H2O2 group

100 mg·L-1 CR+800 μmol·L-1 H2O2 group

50 mg·L-1 CR+800 μmol·L-1 H2O2 group

25 mg·L-1 CR+800 μmol·L-1H2O2 group

0.1 mmol·L-1 positive control vitamin E(VE) group. Cells were treated with drugs for 48 h

lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)

superoxidase dismutase (SOD) activity and malonaldehyde (MDA) levels in culture medium were measured. Cells were treated with superoxide anion fluorescent probe dihydroethidium (DHE) and the fluorescence intensity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was determined under fluorescent microscope. Result: Compared with normal group

800 μmol·L-1H2O2 could decrease significantly SOD activity [(87.65±7.82)

(110.57±10.32) nU·mg-1]

and increase significantly MDA level [(19.72±3.68)

(12.04±2.33) nmol·mg-1]

LDH activity (6.93±0.27)

(3.62±0.42) U·mg-1] and ROS level [(119.47±2.46)%

(100.00±5.73)%]

(P<0.01). However

compared with model group

100

50

25 mg·L-1 CR increase significantly SOD activity (109.39±5.28)

(101.43±6.41)

96.37±8.03 )nU·mg-1]

decrease significantly MDA content(12.47±1.90)

(14.51±2.08)

(16.88±2.15) nmol·mg-1] and LDH activity (3.77±0.53)

(4.68±0.63)

(5.74±0.49) U·mg-1] and ROS level (P<0.01). Conclusion: The ethanol extract of CR has anti-oxidative activity and a protective effect on endothelium damage.