title: Biological and therapeutic activities, and anticancer properties of curcumin.
abstract: Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a polyphenol derived from theCurcuma longaplant. Curcumin has been used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine, as it is nontoxic and exhibits a variety of therapeutic properties, including antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic activities. Recently, certain studies have indicated that curcumin may exert anticancer effects in a variety of biological pathways involved in mutagenesis, apoptosis, tumorigenesis, cell cycle regulation and metastasis. The present study reviewed previous studies in the literature, which support the therapeutic activity of curcumin in cancer. In addition, the present study elucidated a number of the challenges concerning the use of curcumin as an adjuvant chemotherapeutic agent. All the studies reviewed herein suggest that curcumin is able to exert anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet, antioxidative, hepatoprotective and antitumor activities, particularly against cancers of the liver, skin, pancreas, prostate, ovary, lung and head neck, as well as having a positive effect in the treatment of arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Foggia University, Foggia 71122, Italy.
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Perrone
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Foggia University, Foggia 71122, Italy.
authors.forename: Fatima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ardito
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Foggia University, Foggia 71122, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giannatempo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Foggia University, Foggia 71122, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dioguardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Foggia University, Foggia 71122, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Troiano
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Foggia University, Foggia 71122, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lo Russo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Foggia University, Foggia 71122, Italy.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: DE Lillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Foggia University, Foggia 71122, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Laino
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Foggia University, Foggia 71122, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lo Muzio
keywords: anti-inflammatory activity; anticancer agents; cancer; curcumin; nutraceutical