Curcumin as a Bioactive Component

Curcumin, a bioactive polyphenol found in the plant Curcuma longa is a natural supplement available worldwide. Curcumin has been recognized for its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties for a number of years. Further, its therapeutic potential has been demonstrated in animal studies and clinical trials. Numerous reports exist on the mechanisms of action by which curcumin can protect against those chronic diseases associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. Several studies have addressed the effects of curcumin on Alzherimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and asthma. Although, curcumin has been shown to directly affect inflammatory pathways and production of inflammatory cytokines as well as to effectively scavenge free radicals and improve endothelial function, a number of clinical trials have failed to demonstrate efficiency due to its poor bioavailability, physicochemical instability and rapid metabolism. The use of nanoencapsulation to improve delivery of curcumin to target tissues suggests that nanodelivery could increase the healing efficiency of curcumin. In this review, the therapeutic potential of curcumin to protect against chronic disease and the underlying mechanisms will be discussed.