Curcumol's Anticancer Mechanisms and Therapeutic Applications
Summary
Curcumol, a bioactive sesquiterpenoid derived from Rhizoma curcumae, has emerged as a multifaceted anticancer agent. Its mechanisms include induction of apoptosis via modulation of Bcl-2 family proteins and caspase activation, cell cycle arrest through p38 MAPK and cyclin-dependent kinase regulation, and suppression of key oncogenic signalling such as PI3K/AKT, JAK/STAT3 and ERK/NF-κB. In parallel, curcumol alters non-coding RNA networks, elevating tumour-suppressive microRNAs and down-regulating transcription factors like SP1 and PAX8 to inhibit proliferation, migration and angiogenesis. Preclinical models demonstrate reversal of chemoresistance, notably enhancing sorafenib efficacy in hepatocellular carcinoma and potentiating PARP-inhibitor sensitivity in ovarian cancer. Its favourable safety profile and synergistic potential in combination regimens underscore curcumol’s promise as a complementary intervention across a spectrum of malignancies, from melanoma and lung cancer to colorectal carcinoma. Continued elucidation of its pharmacokinetics and optimisation of formulation are crucial for translation into clinical trials.
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Curcumol's Anticancer Mechanisms and Therapeutic Applications publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in curcumol's anticancer mechanisms and therapeutic applications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Apoptosis: Programmed cell death involving caspase activation and DNA fragmentation.
PI3K/AKT pathway: A signalling cascade regulating cell survival, growth and metabolism.
MicroRNA: Small non-coding RNA molecules that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression.
Xenograft: Transplantation of human tumour cells into immunodeficient animals for in vivo study.
Angiogenesis: Formation of new blood vessels, crucial for tumour growth and metastasis.
Cell cycle arrest: Halting of cell division at specific checkpoints, often via cyclin or kinase modulation.
References
- Reversal of sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma by curcumol: insights from network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation. Frontiers in Pharmacology (2025).
- Curcumol repressed cell proliferation and angiogenesis via SP1/mir-125b-5p/VEGFA axis in non-small cell lung cancer. Frontiers in Pharmacology (2022).
- Curcumol Targeting PAX8 Inhibits Ovarian Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion and Increases Chemotherapy Sensitivity of Niraparib. Journal of Oncology (2022).
- Curcumol inhibits the proliferation and metastasis of melanoma via the miR-152-3p/PI3K/AKT and ERK/NF-κB signaling pathways. Journal of Cancer (2020).
- Curcumol Inhibits Growth and Induces Apoptosis of Colorectal Cancer LoVo Cell Line via IGF-1R and p38 MAPK Pathway. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2015).
- Safety Evaluation of Curcumol by a Repeated Dose 28-Day Oral Exposure Toxicity Study in Rats. Toxics (2023).
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