Curcumin plays a local anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant role via the HMGB1/TLR4/NF‐ΚB pathway in rat masseter muscle under psychological stress

Abstract

Curcumin can reduce local pathological changes, levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory factors in masseter muscles. Psychological stress activates HMGB1 expression and increases the expression of downstream TLR4 and p-NF-κB, which could be reduced by curcumin. Thus, curcumin might exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in masseter muscles via the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB pathway.