Antihyperlipidemic effect of curcumin and tetrahydrocurcumin in experimental type 2 diabetic rats

Curcumin protects rat liver from streptozotocin-induced diabetic pathophysiology by counteracting reactive oxygen species and inhibiting the activation of p53 and MAPKs mediated stress response pathways

Curcumin (CUR) is a highly pleiotropic molecule and possesses anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, antioxidative, wound-healing and antimicrobial activities. The present study was carried out to investigate whether CUR plays any beneficial role in streptozotocin (STZ) induced hepatic pathophysiology in diabetic rats. STZ exposure increased hepatic damage associated serum markers (ALT, ALP and LDH) as well as NO production in the liver tissue. Moreover, the same exposure enhanced ROS generation and lipid peroxidation; reduced GSH levels and antioxidant enzyme activities. Hyperglycemia induced hepatic pathophysiology also activated stress response pathways (involving phosphorylation of p38, ERK1/2 MAPKs and p53) and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential which in turn led to cellular apoptosis as evidenced from increased hepatic DNA fragmentation as well as FACS analysis. However, treatment with CUR effectively counteracts diabetes-induced, oxidative stress mediated hepatic damage and could act as a therapeutic in lessening liver dysfunction in diabetic subjects.

Curcumin differs from tetrahydrocurcumin for molecular targets, signaling pathways and cellular responses

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a golden pigment from turmeric, has been linked with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, antibacterial, and antidiabetic properties. Most of the these activities have been assigned to methoxy, hydroxyl, α,β-unsaturated carbonyl moiety or to diketone groups present in curcumin. One of the major metabolites of curcumin is tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), which lacks α,β-unsaturated carbonyl moiety and is white in color. Whether THC is superior to curcumin on a molecular level is unclear and thus is the focus of this review. Various studies suggest that curcumin is a more potent antioxidant than THC; curcumin (but not THC) can bind and inhibit numerous targets including DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase-1, heme oxygenase-1, Nrf2, β-catenin, cyclooxygenase-2, NF-kappaB, inducible nitric oxide synthase, nitric oxide, amyloid plaques, reactive oxygen species, vascular endothelial growth factor, cyclin D1, glutathione, P300/CBP, 5-lipoxygenase, cytosolic phospholipase A2, prostaglandin E2, inhibitor of NF-kappaB kinase-1, -2, P38MAPK, p-Tau, tumor necrosis factor-α, forkhead box O3a, CRAC; curcumin can inhibit tumor cell growth and suppress cellular entry of viruses such as influenza A virus and hepatitis C virus much more effectively than THC; curcumin affects membrane mobility; and curcumin is also more effective than THC in suppressing phorbol-ester-induced tumor promotion. Other studies, however, suggest that THC is superior to curcumin for induction of GSH peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, NADPH: quinone reductase, and quenching of free radicals. Most studies have indicated that THC exhibits higher antioxidant activity, but curcumin exhibits both pro-oxidant and antioxidant properties.

Curcumin and diabetes: a systematic review

Turmeric (Curcuma longa), a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, has been used for the treatment of diabetes in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine. The active component of turmeric, curcumin, has caught attention as a potential treatment for diabetes and its complications primarily because it is a relatively safe and inexpensive drug that reduces glycemia and hyperlipidemia in rodent models of diabetes. Here, we review the recent literature on the applications of curcumin for glycemia and diabetes-related liver disorders, adipocyte dysfunction, neuropathy, nephropathy, vascular diseases, pancreatic disorders, and other complications, and we also discuss its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The applications of additional curcuminoid compounds for diabetes prevention and treatment are also included in this paper. Finally, we mention the approaches that are currently being sought to generate a "super curcumin" through improvement of the bioavailability to bring this promising natural product to the forefront of diabetes therapeutics.

Why it is necessary to translate curcumin into clinical practice for the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome?

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is the yellow-orange pigment of dried Curcuma longa L. rhizomes (turmeric). During the past two decades, there has been a large volume of published studies describing the biological and pharmacological properties of this phytochemical including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antithrombotic, antiatherosclerotic, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, memory enhancing, antiparkinsonism, antirheumatic, anti-infectious, antiaging, antipsoriatic, and anticonvulsant activities. In addition, curcumin has been shown to be extremely safe and interact with multiple molecular targets that are involved in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. Curcumin could favorably affect all leading components of metabolic syndrome including insulin resistance, obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, decreased HDL-C and hypertension, and prevent the deleterious complications of MetS including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Owing to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, curcumin can also exert several pleiotropic effects and improve endothelial dysfunction, adipokine imbalances, and hyperuricemia which usually accompany MetS. Despite the potential tremendous benefit of this multifaceted phytopharmaceutical, no trial result has yet been publicized on this issue. This review seeks to briefly summarize the ample scientific evidence that supports the therapeutic efficacy of curcumin, at least as an adjunctive treatment, in patients with MetS.

Dietary spices as beneficial modulators of lipid profile in conditions of metabolic disorders and diseases

Spices are valued for their medicinal properties besides their use as food adjuncts to enhance the sensory quality of food. Dietary garlic, onion, fenugreek, red pepper, turmeric, and ginger have been proven to be effective hypocholesterolemics in experimentally induced hypercholesterolemia. The hypolipidemic potential of fenugreek in diabetic subjects and of garlic and onion in humans with induced lipemia has been demonstrated. Capsaicin and curcumin - the bioactive compounds of red pepper and turmeric - are documented to be efficacious at doses comparable to usual human intake. Capsaicin and curcumin have been shown to be hypotriglyceridemic, thus preventing accumulation of fat in the liver under adverse situations by enhancing triglyceride transport out of the liver. Capsaicin, curcumin, fenugreek, ginger, and onion enhance secretion of bile acids into bile. These hypocholesterolemic spices/spice principles reduce blood and liver cholesterol by enhancing cholesterol conversion to bile acids through activation of hepatic cholesterol-7α-hydroxylase. Many human trials have been carried out with garlic, onion, and fenugreek. The mechanism underlying the hypocholesterolemic and hypotriglyceridemic influence of spices is fairly well understood. Health implications of the hypocholesterolemic effect of spices experimentally documented are cardio-protection, protection of the structural integrity of erythrocytes by restoration of membrane cholesterol/phospholipid profile and prevention of cholesterol gallstones by modulation of the cholesterol saturation index in bile.

Curcumin in inflammatory diseases

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a yellow coloring agent extracted from turmeric is also used as a remedy for the treatment and prevention of inflammatory diseases. Acute and chronic inflammation is a major factor in the progression of obesity, type II diabetes, arthritis, pancreatitis, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases, as well as certain types of cancer. Turmeric has a long history of use in Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of inflammatory disorders. Recent studies on the efficacy and therapeutic applicability of turmeric have suggested that the active ingredient of tumeric is curcumin. Further, compelling evidence has shown that curcumin has the ability to inhibit inflammatory cell proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis through multiple molecular targets and mechanisms of action. Curcumin is safe, non-toxic, and mediates its anti-inflammatory effects through the down-regulation of inflammatory transcription factors, cytokines, redox status, protein kinases, and enzymes that all promote inflammation. In addition, curcumin induces apoptosis through mitochondrial and receptor-mediated pathways, as well as activation of caspase cascades. In the current study, the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin were evaluated relative to various chronic inflammatory diseases. Based on the available pharmacological data obtained from in vitro and in vivo research, as well as clinical trials, an opportunity exists to translate curcumin into clinics for the prevention of inflammatory diseases in the near future.

Molecular mechanisms of hypolipidemic effects of curcumin

Recent evidence suggests potential benefits from phytochemicals and micronutrients in reducing the elevated oxidative and lipid-mediated stress associated with inflammation, obesity, and atherosclerosis. These compounds may either directly scavenge reactive oxygen or nitrogen species or they may modulate the activity of signal transduction enzymes leading to changes in the expression of antioxidant genes. Alternatively, they may reduce plasma lipid levels by modulating lipid metabolic genes in tissues and thus reduce indirectly lipid-mediated oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress through their hypolipidemic effect. Here we review the proposed molecular mechanisms by which curcumin, a polyphenol present in the rhizomes of turmeric (Curcuma longa) spice, influences oxidative and lipid-mediated stress in the vascular system. At the molecular level, mounting experimental evidence suggests that curcumin may act chemically as scavenger of free radicals and/or influences signal transduction (e.g., Akt, AMPK) and modulates the activity of specific transcription factors (e.g., FOXO1/3a, NRF2, SREBP1/2, CREB, CREBH, PPARγ, and LXRα) that regulate the expression of genes involved in free radicals scavenging (e.g., catalase, MnSOD, and heme oxygenase-1) and lipid homeostasis (e.g., aP2/FABP4, CD36, HMG-CoA reductase, and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-I (CPT-1)). At the cellular level, curcumin may induce a mild oxidative and lipid-metabolic stress leading to an adaptive cellular stress response by hormetic stimulation of these cellular antioxidant defense systems and lipid metabolic enzymes. The resulting lower oxidative and lipid-mediated stress may not only explain the beneficial effects of curcumin on inflammation, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative disease, but may also contribute to the increase in maximum life-span observed in animal models.

Curcumin attenuates lipolysis stimulated by tumor necrosis factor-α or isoproterenol in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Curcumin, an active component derived from dietary spice turmeric (Curcuma longa), has been demonstrated antihyperglycemic, antiinflammatory and hypocholesterolemic activities in obesity and diabetes. These effects are associated with decreased level of circulating free fatty acids (FFA), however the mechanism has not yet been elucidated. The flux of FFA and glycerol from adipose tissue to the blood stream primarily depends on the lipolysis of triacylglycerols in the adipocytes. Adipocyte lipolysis is physiologically stimulated by catecholamine hormones. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) stimulates chronic lipolysis in obesity and type 2 diabetes. In this study, we examined the role of curcumin in inhibiting lipolytic action upon various stimulations in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

METHODS

Glycerol release from TNFα or isoproterenol-stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes in the absence or presence of curcumin was determined using a colorimetric assay (GPO-Trinder). Western blotting was used to investigate the TNFα-induced phosphorylation of MAPK and perilipin expression. Fatcake and cytosolic fractions were prepared to examine the isoproterenol-stimulated hormone-sensitive lipase translocation.

RESULTS

Treatment with curcumin attenuated TNFα-mediated lipolysis by suppressing phosphorylation of extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and reversing the downregulation of perilipin protein in TNFα-stimulated adipocytes (p<0.05). The acute lipolytic response to adrenergic stimulation of isoproterenol was also restricted by curcumin (10-20 μM, p<0.05), which was compatible with reduced perilipin phosphorylation(29%, p<0.05) and hormone-sensitive lipase translocation(20%, p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides evidence that curcumin acts on adipocytes to suppress the lipolysis response to TNFα and catecholamines. The antilipolytic effect could be a cellular basis for curcumin decreasing plasma FFA levels and improving insulin sensitivity.

Discovery of curcumin, a component of golden spice, and its miraculous biological activities

1. Curcumin is the active ingredient of the dietary spice turmeric and has been consumed for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Modern science has shown that curcumin modulates various signalling molecules, including inflammatory molecules, transcription factors, enzymes, protein kinases, protein reductases, carrier proteins, cell survival proteins, drug resistance proteins, adhesion molecules, growth factors, receptors, cell cycle regulatory proteins, chemokines, DNA, RNA and metal ions. 2. Because of this polyphenol's potential to modulate multiple signalling molecules, it has been reported to possess pleiotropic activities. First demonstrated to have antibacterial activity in 1949, curcumin has since been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, pro-apoptotic, chemopreventive, chemotherapeutic, antiproliferative, wound healing, antinociceptive, antiparasitic and antimalarial properties as well. Animal studies have suggested that curcumin may be active against a wide range of human diseases, including diabetes, obesity, neurological and psychiatric disorders and cancer, as well as chronic illnesses affecting the eyes, lungs, liver, kidneys and gastrointestinal and cardiovascular systems. 3. Although many clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of curcumin against human ailments have already been completed, others are still ongoing. Moreover, curcumin is used as a supplement in several countries, including India, Japan, the US, Thailand, China, Korea, Turkey, South Africa, Nepal and Pakistan. Although inexpensive, apparently well tolerated and potentially active, curcumin has not been approved for the treatment of any human disease. 4. In the present article, we discuss the discovery and key biological activities of curcumin, with a particular emphasis on its activities at the molecular and cellular levels, as well as in animals and humans.

Phytochemicals and their impact on adipose tissue inflammation and diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is an inflammatory disease and the mechanisms that underlie this disease, although still incompletely understood, take place in the adipose tissue of obese subjects. Concurrently, the prevalence of obesity caused by Western diet's excessive energy intake and the lack of exercise escalates, and is believed to be causative for the chronic inflammatory state in adipose tissue. Overnutrition itself as an overload of energy may induce the adipocytes to secrete chemokines activating and attracting immune cells to adipose tissue. But also inflammation-mediating food ingredients like saturated fatty acids are believed to directly initiate the inflammatory cascade. In addition, hypoxia in adipose tissue as a direct consequence of obesity, and its effect on gene expression in adipocytes and surrounding cells in fat tissue of obese subjects appears to play a central role in this inflammatory response too. In contrast, revisiting diet all over the world, there are also some natural food products and beverages which are associated with curative effects on human health. Several natural compounds known as spices such as curcumin, capsaicin, and gingerol, or secondary plant metabolites catechin, resveratrol, genistein, and quercetin have been reported to provide an improved health status to their consumers, especially with regard to diabetes, and therefore have been investigated for their anti-inflammatory effect. In this review, we will give an overview about these phytochemicals and their role to interfere with inflammatory cascades in adipose tissue and their potential for fighting against inflammatory diseases like diabetes as investigated in vivo.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the putative NADP(H)-dependent oxidoreductase YncB from Vibrio vulnificus

The yncB gene product from Vibrio vulnificus, which belongs to the medium-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (MDR) superfamily, was crystallized using the microbatch crystallization method at 295 K. Diffraction data sets were collected using synchrotron radiation. Crystals of selenomethionine-substituted YncB protein belonged to space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 90.52, b = 91.56, c = 104.79 Å. Assuming the presence of two molecules in the asymmetric unit, the solvent content was estimated to be about 57%. Crystals of the YncB-NADP(H) complex belonged to space group P4(1)2(1)2 or P4(3)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 90.14, c = 105.61 Å. Assuming the presence of one molecule in the asymmetric unit, the solvent content was estimated to be about 56.42%.

Curcumin improves insulin resistance in skeletal muscle of rats

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Curcumin has been reported to lower plasma lipids and glucose in diabetic rats, and to decrease body weight in obese rats, which may partly be due to increased fatty acid oxidation and utilization in skeletal muscle.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Diabetic rats induced by high-fat diet plus streptozotocin (STZ, 30 mg/kg BW) were fed a diet containing 50, 150, or 250 mg/kg BW curcumin for 7 wk. Curcumin dose-dependently decreased plasma lipids and glucose and the dose 150 mg/kg BW appeared to be adequate to produce a significant effect. Curcumin supplementation reduced glucose and insulin tolerance measured as areas under the curve. L6 myotubes were treated with palmitate (0.25 mmol/L) in the presence of different levels of curcumin for 24 h in our in vitro experiment. Curcumin at 10 μmol/L was adequate to cause a significant increase in 2-deoxy-[(3)H]d-glucose uptake by L6 myotubes. Curcumin up-regulated expression of phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), CD36, and carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1, but down-regulated expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase 4 and phosphorylated glycogen synthase (GS) in both in vivo and in vitro studies. Moreover, curcumin increased phosphorylated acetyl COA carboxylase in L6 myotubes. The effects of curcumin on these enzymes except for GS were suppressed by AMPK inhibitor, Compound C. LKB1, an upstream kinase of AMPK, was activated by curcumin and inhibited by radicicol, an LKB1 destabilizer.

CONCLUSION

Curcumin improves muscular insulin resistance by increasing oxidation of fatty acid and glucose, which is, at least in part, mediated through LKB1-AMPK pathway.

Olive oil phenols modulate the triacylglycerol molecular species of human very low-density lipoprotein. A randomized, crossover, controlled trial

Virgin olive oil phenolic compounds have been revealed to be potent antioxidants as part of the Mediterranean diet. To test the hypothesis that these phenolics can modulate the serum and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) triacylglycerol concentrations in humans, a double-blind, randomized, crossover trial was designed. Thirty-three participants received 25 mL/d of refined olive oil (devoid of phenolic content [PC]), common olive oil (PC = 370 mmol/kg), and virgin olive oil (PC = 825 mmol/kg) in a Latin square design. The 3 olive oils were administered over 3 periods of 3 weeks, each one preceded by 2-week washout periods. All analyses were carried out on an intention-to-treat basis. The interventions did not modify the concentrations of serum and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triacylglycerol; but they exerted changes in the cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and phospholipid content of VLDL. The virgin olive oil consumption led to increased oleic and palmitic acids, as well as decreased linoleic acid, in VLDL. The main outcome was the significant dose-dependent linear trend between the PC in the olive oils and the palmitic (16:0) and linoleic (18:2 n-6) acid and their corresponding triacylglycerol molecular species in VLDL.

Discovery of the curcumin metabolic pathway involving a unique enzyme in an intestinal microorganism

Polyphenol curcumin, a yellow pigment, derived from the rhizomes of a plant (Curcuma longa Linn) is a natural antioxidant exhibiting a variety of pharmacological activities and therapeutic properties. It has long been used as a traditional medicine and as a preservative and coloring agent in foods. Here, curcumin-converting microorganisms were isolated from human feces, the one exhibiting the highest activity being identified as Escherichia coli. We are thus unique in discovering that E. coli was able to act on curcumin. The curcumin-converting enzyme was purified from E. coli and characterized. The native enzyme had a molecular mass of about 82 kDa and consisted of two identical subunits. The enzyme has a narrow substrate spectrum, preferentially acting on curcumin. The microbial metabolism of curcumin by the purified enzyme was found to comprise a two-step reduction, curcumin being converted NADPH-dependently into an intermediate product, dihydrocurcumin, and then the end product, tetrahydrocurcumin. We named this enzyme "NADPH-dependent curcumin/dihydrocurcumin reductase" (CurA). The gene (curA) encoding this enzyme was also identified. A homology search with the BLAST program revealed that a unique enzyme involved in curcumin metabolism belongs to the medium-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily.

A novel solubility-enhanced curcumin formulation showing stability and maintenance of anticancer activity

Curcumin (CUR) is an active food compound, but its insolubility and instability in water contributes to low bioavailability. In this study, the solubility of CUR was enhanced by utilizing the solubilizing properties of rubusoside (RUB). The solubility of CUR in water increased linearly from 61 μg/mL to 2.318 mg/mL in the presence of RUB ranging from 1% to 10% (w/v). Dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy studies found that CUR and RUB formed CUR-RUB nanoparticle (∼8 nm) complexes. The RUB-solubilized CUR was stable in physiological conditions and did not precipitate when diluted or degrade when spray-dried to a completely reconstitutable powder. Furthermore, cell viability assays demonstrated the efficacy of RUB-solubilized CUR against human colon, breast, and pancreatic cancer cell lines. The development of this new solubilized, stable, and biologically active CUR formulation lays the foundation for future bioavailability improvement.

Curcumin inhibits hepatic protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B and prevents hypertriglyceridemia and hepatic steatosis in fructose-fed rats

High consumption of dietary fructose is an important contributory factor in the development of hepatic steatosis in insulin or leptin resistance. We investigated the effects of curcumin on fructose-induced hypertriglyceridemia and liver steatosis and explored its preventive mechanisms in rats. Curcumin reduced serum insulin and leptin levels in fructose-fed rats. This compound could increase phosphorylation of insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrate 1 to enhance Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) activation in the liver of fructose-fed rats. Moreover, curcumin increased phosphorylation of hepatic janus-activated kinase-signal transducer 2 and subsequently also stimulated Akt and ERK1/2 activation in this model. Suppression of curcumin on leptin signaling overstimulation in tyrosine1138 phosphorylation of the long form of leptin receptor and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 resulted in down-regulation of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 in the liver of fructose-fed rats. Thus, improvement of insulin and leptin signaling transduction and subsequently elevation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha expression by curcumin led to reduction of very-low-density lipoprotein overproduction and triglyceride hypersynthesis. Furthermore, overexpression and hyperactivity of hepatic protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) associated with defective insulin and leptin signaling were observed in fructose-fed rats. Additionally, curcumin was found to significantly reduce hepatic PTP1B expression and activity in this model.

CONCLUSION

Our data indicate that the mechanisms by which curcumin protects against fructose-induced hypertriglyceridemia and hepatic steatosis are its inhibition on PTP1B and subsequently improvement of insulin and leptin sensitivity in the liver of rats. This PTP1B inhibitory property may be a promising therapeutic strategy for curcumin to treat fructose-induced hepatic steatosis driven by hepatic insulin and leptin resistance.

Biological activities of curcumin and its analogues (Congeners) made by man and Mother Nature

Curcumin, a yellow pigment present in the Indian spice turmeric (associated with curry powder), has been linked with suppression of inflammation; angiogenesis; tumorigenesis; diabetes; diseases of the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and neurological systems, of skin, and of liver; loss of bone and muscle; depression; chronic fatigue; and neuropathic pain. The utility of curcumin is limited by its color, lack of water solubility, and relatively low in vivo bioavailability. Because of the multiple therapeutic activities attributed to curcumin, however, there is an intense search for a "super curcumin" without these problems. Multiple approaches are being sought to overcome these limitations. These include discovery of natural curcumin analogues from turmeric; discovery of natural curcumin analogues made by Mother Nature; synthesis of "man-made" curcumin analogues; reformulation of curcumin with various oils and with inhibitors of metabolism (e.g., piperine); development of liposomal and nanoparticle formulations of curcumin; conjugation of curcumin prodrugs; and linking curcumin with polyethylene glycol. Curcumin is a homodimer of feruloylmethane containing a methoxy group and a hydroxyl group, a heptadiene with two Michael acceptors, and an alpha,beta-diketone. Structural homologues involving modification of all these groups are being considered. This review focuses on the status of all these approaches in generating a "super curcumin.".

Potential therapeutic effects of curcumin, the anti-inflammatory agent, against neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, autoimmune and neoplastic diseases

Although safe in most cases, ancient treatments are ignored because neither their active component nor their molecular targets are well defined. This is not the case, however, with curcumin, a yellow-pigment substance and component of turmeric (Curcuma longa), which was identified more than a century ago. For centuries it has been known that turmeric exhibits anti-inflammatory activity, but extensive research performed within the past two decades has shown that this activity of turmeric is due to curcumin (diferuloylmethane). This agent has been shown to regulate numerous transcription factors, cytokines, protein kinases, adhesion molecules, redox status and enzymes that have been linked to inflammation. The process of inflammation has been shown to play a major role in most chronic illnesses, including neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, autoimmune and neoplastic diseases. In the current review, we provide evidence for the potential role of curcumin in the prevention and treatment of various proinflammatory chronic diseases. These features, combined with the pharmacological safety and negligible cost, render curcumin an attractive agent to explore further.