Abstract
Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a polyphenol extracted from the plant Curcuma longa, is widely used in Southeast Asia, China and India in food preparation and for medicinal purposes. Since the second half of the last century, this traditional medicine has attracted the attention of scientists from multiple disciplines to elucidate its pharmacological properties. Of significant interest is curcumin’s role to treat neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and Parkinson’s disease (PD) and malignancy. These diseases all share an inflammatory basis, involving increased cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and oxidative damage to lipids, nucleic acids and proteins. The therapeutic benefits of curcumin for these neurodegenerative diseases appear multifactorial via regulation of transcription factors, cytokines and enzymes associated with (Nuclear factor kappa beta) NFκB activity. This review describes the historical use of curcumin in medicine, its chemistry, stability and biological activities, including curcumin's anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. The review further discusses the pharmacology of curcumin and provides new perspectives on its therapeutic potential and limitations. Especially, the review focuses in detail on the effectiveness of curcumin and its mechanism of actions in treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and brain malignancies.
Keywords: Curcumin, Alzheimer, Parkinson, glioblastoma, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, reactive oxygen species
Current Neuropharmacology
Title:Curcumin and its Derivatives: Their Application in Neuropharmacology and Neuroscience in the 21st Century
Volume: 11 Issue: 4
Author(s): Wing-Hin Lee, Ching-Yee Loo, Mary Bebawy, Frederick Luk, Rebecca S Mason and Ramin Rohanizadeh
Affiliation:
Keywords: Curcumin, Alzheimer, Parkinson, glioblastoma, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, reactive oxygen species
Abstract: Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a polyphenol extracted from the plant Curcuma longa, is widely used in Southeast Asia, China and India in food preparation and for medicinal purposes. Since the second half of the last century, this traditional medicine has attracted the attention of scientists from multiple disciplines to elucidate its pharmacological properties. Of significant interest is curcumin’s role to treat neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and Parkinson’s disease (PD) and malignancy. These diseases all share an inflammatory basis, involving increased cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and oxidative damage to lipids, nucleic acids and proteins. The therapeutic benefits of curcumin for these neurodegenerative diseases appear multifactorial via regulation of transcription factors, cytokines and enzymes associated with (Nuclear factor kappa beta) NFκB activity. This review describes the historical use of curcumin in medicine, its chemistry, stability and biological activities, including curcumin's anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. The review further discusses the pharmacology of curcumin and provides new perspectives on its therapeutic potential and limitations. Especially, the review focuses in detail on the effectiveness of curcumin and its mechanism of actions in treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and brain malignancies.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Lee Wing-Hin, Loo Ching-Yee, Bebawy Mary, Luk Frederick, Mason S Rebecca and Rohanizadeh Ramin, Curcumin and its Derivatives: Their Application in Neuropharmacology and Neuroscience in the 21st Century, Current Neuropharmacology 2013; 11(4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1570159X11311040002
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1570159X11311040002 |
Print ISSN 1570-159X |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-6190 |

- Author Guidelines
- Editorial Policies
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility Of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Reviewer Guidelines
- Guest Editor Guidelines
- Board Recruitment Workflow
- Short Guide for New Editors
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Announcements
- Forthcoming Thematic Issues
Related Articles
-
Treating Nonthyroidal Illness Syndrome in the Critically Ill Patient: Still a Matter of Controversy
Current Drug Targets Pleiotropic Effect of Mahanine and Girinimbine Analogs: Anticancer Mechanism and its Therapeutic Versatility
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Influence of the Novelty-Seeking Endophenotype on the Rewarding Effects of Psychostimulant Drugs in Animal Models
Current Neuropharmacology Meet Our Editorial Board Member
Current Neuropharmacology Cognitive Improvement by Activation of α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors: From Animal Models to Human Pathophysiology
Current Pharmaceutical Design Targeted Protein Degradation: An Emerging Therapeutic Strategy in Cancer
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Epigenetic Alterations in DNA and Histone Modifications Caused by Depression and Antidepressant Drugs: Lessons from the Rodent Models
Current Pharmaceutical Design Bivalent Ligands Derived from Huperzine A as Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Mechanisms Underlying the Hepatotoxic Effects of Ecstasy
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Molecular Biological Roles of Ursolic Acid in the Treatment of Human Diseases
Current Bioactive Compounds The Spatial QRS-T Angle: Implications in Clinical Practice
Current Cardiology Reviews Aryl Maleimides as Apoptosis Inducers on L5178-Y Murine Leukemia Cells (in silico, in vitro and ex vivo Study)
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Pharmacotherapy & Surgical Interventions Available for Obesity Management and Importance of Pancreatic Lipase Inhibitory Phytomolecules as Safer Anti-Obesity Therapeutics
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Immunosuppressive Therapies in Solid Organ Transplantation
Immunology, Endocrine & Metabolic Agents in Medicinal Chemistry (Discontinued) Philosophical Issues in the Prodromal Phase of Psychosis
Current Pharmaceutical Design The Guanylyl Cyclase Inhibition by MB as Vasoplegic Circulatory Shock Therapeutical Target
Current Drug Targets Novel Anticancer Targets and Drug Discovery in Post Genomic Age
Current Medicinal Chemistry - Anti-Cancer Agents Transition from Children’s to Adult Services for Patients with ADHD: A Model of Care
Adolescent Psychiatry Pharmacogenomics and Sepsis-Induced Renal Failure: Effects of β 2-Adrenoceptor Function on the Course of Sepsis
Current Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine Development and Tailoring of Hybrid Lipid Nanocarriers
Current Pharmaceutical Design