title: A review of therapeutic effects of curcumin.
abstract: There is a growing interest in herbal medicine. Scientific studies have demonstrated the beneficial pharmacological effects of curcumin. Curcumin is a bright yellow spice, derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa Linn. It has been proven that curcumin is a highly pleiotropic molecule which can be a modulator of intracellular signaling pathways that control cell growth, inflammation, and apoptosis. Curcumin might be a potential candidate for the prevention and/or treatment of some diseases due to its anti-oxidant, antiinflammatory activities and an excellent safety profile. We present an updated concise review of currently available animal and clinical studies demonstrating the therapeutic effect of curcumin.
authors.affiliation: Histomorphometry & Stereology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noorafshan
authors.forename: Soheil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ashkani-Esfahani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001682:Biological Availability; D003474:Curcumin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000975:Antioxidants; D003474:Curcumin