Abstract
Curcumin, a yellow-colored molecule derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, has been identified as the bioactive compound responsible for numerous pharmacological activities of turmeric, including anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, etc. Nevertheless, the clinical application of curcumin is inadequate due to its low solubility, poor absorption, rapid metabolism and elimination. Advancements in recent research have shown several components and techniques to increase the bioavailability of curcumin. Combining with adjuvants, encapsulating in carriers and formulating in nanoforms, in combination with other bioactive agents, synthetic derivatives and structural analogs of curcumin, have shown increased efficiency and bioavailability, thereby augmenting the range of applications of curcumin. The scope for incorporating biotechnology and nanotechnology in amending the current drawbacks would help in expanding the biomedical applications and clinical efficacy of curcumin. Therefore, in this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the plethora of therapeutic potentials of curcumin, their drawbacks in efficient clinical applications and the recent advancements in improving curcumin’s bioavailability for effective use in various biomedical applications.
Highlights
Bioactive compounds with therapeutic value are found in a huge spectrum of natural resources
This review provides a comprehensive overview of the structure and the recent advancements in the biomedical applications of curcumin, use of nanotechnology to produce nanoencapsulated curcumin, significance of curcumin bioavailability and current trends in improving bioavailability
The natural polyphenol of the turmeric rhizome, is a food additive, food colorant and natural dye that is known for its huge spectrum of therapeutic applications and has been practically used in traditional medication for decades
Summary
Bioactive compounds with therapeutic value are found in a huge spectrum of natural resources. Though no nutraceutical value was found, numerous research articles have shown the therapeutic potential of curcumin, which includes but is not limited to being antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, hepato- and neuroprotective [4,5,6], etc. Due to its broad spectrum of therapeutic efficiencies, researchers are engrossed in unearthing the molecular targets and their encoding mechanisms of action of curcumin that underlie these biological activities. The nontoxic nature of curcumin makes it an ideal therapeutic agent, yet the limited bioavailability is a major concern in clinical application [7]. Several studies have devised methods to increase the bioavailability of curcumin. Advanced research on adjuvants has shown enhancements in bioavailability which, in the near future, could bring promising clinical outcomes for curcumin treatment. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the structure and the recent advancements in the biomedical applications of curcumin, use of nanotechnology to produce nanoencapsulated curcumin, significance of curcumin bioavailability and current trends in improving bioavailability
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