The effects of nano-curcumin supplementation on Th2/tregulatory axis in migraine patients: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Aim In the present study we aimed to investigate the effects of nano-curcumin supplementation on gene expression and serum levels of IL-4 and TGF-beta in migraine patients. Methods Forty participants with episodic migraine were randomly allocated to receive 80 mg nano-curcumin (n = 20) or placebo (n = 20) in a randomized double-blind clinical trial for two months. At the beginning and the end of the study, the interictal serum levels and gene expression of IL-4 and TGF-beta in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from migraine patients were measured, using ELISA and real-time PCR methods, respectively. Results Intra-group assays showed a significant rise in the gene expression of both IL-4 and TGF-beta (p < 0.05) in nano-curcumin group after two months of treatment, however the serum levels were only significantly changed for IL-4 (p < 0.05). On the contrast, inter-group assays revealed no statistical differences between nano-curcumin and placebo group in terms of IL-4 and TGF-beta gene expression, while the serum levels of IL-4 was observed to be increased significantly (p = 0.03) following two month nano-curcumin supplementation. Conclusion The findings of the present trial suggest that the treatment with nano-curcumin could induce significant levels of IL-4, in favour of anti-inflammatory effects, while has a minimal effects on the both gene expression and serum levels of TGF-beta. Further studies are required to determine the exact mechanism of action of curcumin in patients with migraine.