title: Curcumin and liver disease.
abstract: Liver diseases pose a major medical problem worldwide and a wide variety of herbs have been studied for the management of liver-related diseases. In this respect, curcumin has long been used in traditional medicine, and in recent years it has been the object of increasing research interest. In combating liver diseases, it seems clear that curcumin exerts a hypolipidic effect, which prevents the fatty acid accumulation in the hepatocytes that may result from metabolic imbalances, and which may cause nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Another crucial protective activity of curcumin, not only in the context of chronic liver diseases but also regarding carcinogenesis and other age-related processes, is its potent antioxidant activity, which affects multiple processes and signaling pathways. The effects of curcumin on NF-κβ are crucial to our understanding of the potent hepatoprotective role of this herb-derived micronutrient. Because curcumin is a micronutrient that is closely related to cellular redox balance, its properties and activity give rise to a series of molecular reactions that in every case and biological situation affect the mitochondria.
authors.affiliation: GENyO Center Pfizer-University of Granada & Andalusian Government Centre for Genomics & Oncology, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vera-Ramirez
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pérez-Lopez
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varela-Lopez
authors.forename: McArmen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramirez-Tortosa
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Battino
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Quiles
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D018384:Oxidative Stress
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D003474:Curcumin