Curcumin in the Treatment of Various Diseases: Mechanism of Action, Bioavailability, Therapeutic Effects, and Current Clinical Trials.
- 1Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Diseases Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine Kunming Yunnan China.
- 2College of Pharmaceutical Science Dali University Dali Yunnan China.
Abstract
Curcumin is a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and anticancer properties. Numerous studies have demonstrated that curcumin can regulate multiple molecular targets, including signaling pathways such as Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT), PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1)/Parkin, Parkin, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/antioxidant response element (ARE). Notably, curcumin exhibits therapeutic potential in a variety of diseases, including neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, inflammatory diseases, and autoimmune diseases. Its mechanisms of action are associated with the suppression of inflammation, regulation of mitochondrial dysfunction, inhibition of apoptosis, attenuation of oxidative stress, and enhancement of neuroplasticity. However, the extremely low oral bioavailability of curcumin limits its application in disease therapy. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in curcumin research, including its pharmacological properties, molecular mechanisms of action, and nanodelivery systems, such as nanoparticles, liposomes, nanoemulsions, polymeric micelles, and exosomes, which have been developed to enhance curcumin bioavailability. Furthermore, this review provides an in-depth overview of the therapeutic benefits of curcumin in neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, inflammatory diseases, and autoimmune diseases. It focuses on evidence from in vitro studies, in vivo experiments, and potential clinical applications, while also discusses the therapeutic potential, current challenges, and future perspectives of curcumin in disease management.
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BibTeX
@article{wang2026curcumin,
title = {{Curcumin in the Treatment of Various Diseases: Mechanism of Action, Bioavailability, Therapeutic Effects, and Current Clinical Trials.}},
author = {Lin Wang and Qifei Pan and Wenjuan Long and Xinyao Li and Jianqin Mao and Sitong Zhou and Zihui Wang and Xuelian Zou and Yuqing She and Mingqin Shi and Yang Zhou and Jiarong Du and Zhongyang Hu and Xiaoman Lv and Yishu Chen and Dongdong Qin},
journal = {MedComm},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1002/mco2.71124},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42996885},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Curcumin in the Treatment of Various Diseases: Mechanism of Action, Bioavailability, Therapeutic Effects, and Current Clinical Trials.
AU - Lin Wang
AU - Qifei Pan
AU - Wenjuan Long
AU - Xinyao Li
AU - Jianqin Mao
AU - Sitong Zhou
AU - Zihui Wang
AU - Xuelian Zou
AU - Yuqing She
AU - Mingqin Shi
AU - Yang Zhou
AU - Jiarong Du
AU - Zhongyang Hu
AU - Xiaoman Lv
AU - Yishu Chen
AU - Dongdong Qin
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/05
JO - MedComm
DO - 10.1002/mco2.71124
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42996885
AB - Curcumin is a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and anticancer properties. Numerous studies have demonstrated that curcumin can regulate multiple molecular targets, including signaling pathways such as Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT), PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1)/Parkin, Parkin, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/antioxidant response element (ARE). Notably, curcumin exhibits therapeutic potential in a variety of diseases, including neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, inflammatory diseases, and autoimmune diseases. Its mechanisms of action are associated with the suppression of inflammation, regulation of mitochondrial dysfunction, inhibition of apoptosis, attenuation of oxidative stress, and enhancement of neuroplasticity. However, the extremely low oral bioavailability of curcumin limits its application in disease therapy. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in curcumin research, including its pharmacological properties, molecular mechanisms of action, and nanodelivery systems, such as nanoparticles, liposomes, nanoemulsions, polymeric micelles, and exosomes, which have been developed to enhance curcumin bioavailability. Furthermore, this review provides an in-depth overview of the therapeutic benefits of curcumin in neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, inflammatory diseases, and autoimmune diseases. It focuses on evidence from in vitro studies, in vivo experiments, and potential clinical applications, while also discusses the therapeutic potential, current challenges, and future perspectives of curcumin in disease management.
SN - 2688-2663
ER -