Exploring the Anticancer Potential of Curcumin through Molecular Pathways

Abstract

Curcumin is the primary curcuminoid present in the Curcuma longa rhizome, commonly known as turmeric, and because of its potential as a natural anticancer drug, it has drawn a lot of scientific attention. Curcumin has a broad range of pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, antiangiogenic, anticancer, antiproliferative, and many more. Curcumin has been demonstrated in numerous in vitro and in vivo investigations to be capable of preventing the development and spread of a number of malignancies, including those of the breast, colon, prostate, lung, stomach, brain, and pancreas. Curcumin’s capacity to alter a broad spectrum of molecular targets implicated in tumor initiation, development, and progression is thought to be the cause of its anticancer properties. These include the control of tumor suppressor genes, apoptotic proteins, inflammatory mediators, and angiogenic factors, as well as important signaling pathways like NF-κB, PI3K/ Akt, Wnt/β-catenin, and MAPK. Although curcumin has a potential pharmacological profile, its therapeutic effectiveness is severely limited by its low bioavailability. Numerous formulation techniques, such as the use of adjuvants (such as piperine), liposomes, nanoparticles, and micelles, have shown promising results in improving systemic availability and therapeutic potency. This study demonstrates the complex role curcumin plays in the fight against cancer and stresses how crucial it is to get past pharmacokinetic obstacles in order to fully utilise its therapeutic potential. Curcumin shows promise as an efficient, low-toxicity drug in integrative cancer therapy with additional study and clinical validation. This review provides an integrated cross-cancer analysis of curcumin-mediated signaling networks and translational strategies to overcome pharmacokinetic limitations.