The Therapeutic Potential of Curcumin and Its Analogs in Myocardial Fibrosis: A Comprehensive Review
Myocardial fibrosis is a pathological process characterized by the abnormal accumulation of extracellular matrix, forming pathological scars, due to excessive activation of cardiac fibroblasts during injury repair. This process leads to cardiac stiffening, disruption of electrical conduction, and ultimately, cardiac dysfunction. Curcumin effectively reverses myocardial fibrosis by regulating the metabolic network of extracellular matrix synthesis and degradation. Its analogs, through chemical modification to curcumin, retain and even enhance therapeutic activity meanwhile overcoming inherent limitations of natural curcumin. Given the broad therapeutic potential of curcumin and its analogs against myocardial fibrosis, and the fragmented nature of current research in this field, this review retrieved research on the anti‐myocardial fibrotic effects of curcumin and its analogs published in the last decade from English databases, while a small number of references are older. To establish a theoretical basis for advancing the development and application of curcumin and its analogs, this review synthesizes essential information regarding their properties, mechanisms, pharmacological effects, and therapeutic potential.