Influence of Process Methods on the Hepatoprotective Effect of Curcumin Analogs Synthesized from Culilawan Oil in Mice (Mus musculus L.) with CCl₄ Induced Liver Damage

One of the downstream products which can be synthesized from culilawan oil is an analog curcumin compound (AKS) with a dioxolane ring. AKS products can be synthesized using conventional and microwave methods. The method of synthesis can influence physical properties, compound geometry, and pharmacological effects. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the processing method on the hepatoprotective ability of AKS, and to determine a protective dose. AKS was synthesized using insulated safrole compounds from Lawang oil and involved isomerization, oxidation, and aldol condensation of curcumin analogues. At the final stage of the analog curcumin synthesis process, 2 different methods were employed: the conventional method heated the chemical in a water bath at 30 °C for 3 hours, the microwave method heated the chemical using 140 watts of power for 2 minutes. Analogs were tested in vivo in mice (Mus musculus L.) with CCl₄ induced liver damage. Hepatoprotective efficacy of AKS products processed by the conventional method and the microwave method were compared using histology and liver enzyme (AST and ALT) assessment. Animals treated with conventionally produced AKS products had lower AST and lower ALT levels—and fewer histological signs of liver damage at a lower dose of AKS—than seen in either untreated animals or those treated with microwave produced AKS. Thus, products that are processed by conventional methods are more hepatoprotective