Curcumin Applications in Cancer Therapeutics
Summary
Curcumin, the principal polyphenol in turmeric, exhibits a broad spectrum of anticancer activities through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic properties. It modulates multiple oncogenic signalling pathways—such as NF-κB, STAT3 and PI3K/Akt—thereby inhibiting tumour growth, angiogenesis and metastasis. Despite promising preclinical and early clinical data, curcumin’s poor aqueous solubility and rapid metabolism have limited its systemic bioavailability. To overcome these challenges, diverse delivery platforms including nanoparticles, liposomes and polymeric conjugates have been developed, enhancing tumour targeting and therapeutic efficacy. Furthermore, curcumin demonstrates synergistic interactions with conventional chemotherapeutic agents, offering potential for dose reduction and diminished side effects. Collectively, these findings underscore curcumin’s global significance as a low-toxicity adjuvant in cancer treatment and motivate continued translational research.
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Curcumin Applications in Cancer Therapeutics publication trend
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Technical terms
Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Chemically reactive oxygen derivatives that can trigger cell signalling or oxidative damage.
KEAP1/NRF2/ARE pathway: A cytoprotective mechanism where NRF2 dissociates from KEAP1 and binds antioxidant response elements (ARE) to activate detoxifying genes.
MicroRNA-34 family (miR-34): Small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally, often functioning as tumour suppressors.
Nanoparticle delivery systems: Engineered carriers at the nanoscale designed to enhance the solubility, stability and targeted delivery of therapeutic molecules.
References
- Curcumin activates a ROS/KEAP1/NRF2/miR-34a/b/c cascade to suppress colorectal cancer metastasis. Cell Death & Differentiation (2023).
- A Review of Curcumin and Its Derivatives as Anticancer Agents. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2019).
- Curcumin and Cancer. Nutrients (2019).
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