Curcumin Derivatives in Medicinal Chemistry: Potential Applications in Cancer Treatment

Curcumin, a naturally occurring compound found in the rhizome of <i>Curcuma</i> plants, particularly in turmeric (<i>Curcuma longa</i> L.), exhibits a broad range of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. Curcumin has demon...

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Main Authors: Joanna Kuzminska, Piotr Szyk, Dariusz T. Mlynarczyk, Pawel Bakun, Izabela Muszalska-Kolos, Katarzyna Dettlaff, Agnieszka Sobczak, Tomasz Goslinski, Anna Jelinska
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/22/5321
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author Joanna Kuzminska
Piotr Szyk
Dariusz T. Mlynarczyk
Pawel Bakun
Izabela Muszalska-Kolos
Katarzyna Dettlaff
Agnieszka Sobczak
Tomasz Goslinski
Anna Jelinska
author_facet Joanna Kuzminska
Piotr Szyk
Dariusz T. Mlynarczyk
Pawel Bakun
Izabela Muszalska-Kolos
Katarzyna Dettlaff
Agnieszka Sobczak
Tomasz Goslinski
Anna Jelinska
author_sort Joanna Kuzminska
collection DOAJ
description Curcumin, a naturally occurring compound found in the rhizome of <i>Curcuma</i> plants, particularly in turmeric (<i>Curcuma longa</i> L.), exhibits a broad range of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. Curcumin has demonstrated effectiveness in inhibiting tumor growth, arousing interest for its potential in treating various cancers, such as breast, lung, prostate, and brain cancers. However, the clinical application of curcumin is limited due to its low chemical stability, poor water solubility, and low bioavailability. In response to these challenges, structural modifications of curcumin have been explored to improve its pharmacological properties, including enhanced anticancer selectivity index and bioavailability. This review highlights promising chemical modifications of curcumin that could lead to the development of more effective anticancer therapies. By functionalizing the parent curcumin molecule, researchers aim to create more stable and bioavailable compounds with enhanced therapeutic potential, making curcumin derivatives promising candidates for medical applications.
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spelling doaj-art-a52241f265fa422d8732b8f644e0fe5d2025-08-20T02:04:59ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492024-11-012922532110.3390/molecules29225321Curcumin Derivatives in Medicinal Chemistry: Potential Applications in Cancer TreatmentJoanna Kuzminska0Piotr Szyk1Dariusz T. Mlynarczyk2Pawel Bakun3Izabela Muszalska-Kolos4Katarzyna Dettlaff5Agnieszka Sobczak6Tomasz Goslinski7Anna Jelinska8Chair and Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 3, 60-806 Poznan, PolandDoctoral School, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Bukowska 70, 60-812 Poznan, PolandChair and Department of Chemical Technology of Drugs, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 3, 60-806 Poznan, PolandChair and Department of Chemical Technology of Drugs, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 3, 60-806 Poznan, PolandChair and Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 3, 60-806 Poznan, PolandChair and Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 3, 60-806 Poznan, PolandChair and Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 3, 60-806 Poznan, PolandChair and Department of Chemical Technology of Drugs, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 3, 60-806 Poznan, PolandChair and Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 3, 60-806 Poznan, PolandCurcumin, a naturally occurring compound found in the rhizome of <i>Curcuma</i> plants, particularly in turmeric (<i>Curcuma longa</i> L.), exhibits a broad range of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. Curcumin has demonstrated effectiveness in inhibiting tumor growth, arousing interest for its potential in treating various cancers, such as breast, lung, prostate, and brain cancers. However, the clinical application of curcumin is limited due to its low chemical stability, poor water solubility, and low bioavailability. In response to these challenges, structural modifications of curcumin have been explored to improve its pharmacological properties, including enhanced anticancer selectivity index and bioavailability. This review highlights promising chemical modifications of curcumin that could lead to the development of more effective anticancer therapies. By functionalizing the parent curcumin molecule, researchers aim to create more stable and bioavailable compounds with enhanced therapeutic potential, making curcumin derivatives promising candidates for medical applications.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/22/5321curcumincancercurcumin derivatives
spellingShingle Joanna Kuzminska
Piotr Szyk
Dariusz T. Mlynarczyk
Pawel Bakun
Izabela Muszalska-Kolos
Katarzyna Dettlaff
Agnieszka Sobczak
Tomasz Goslinski
Anna Jelinska
Curcumin Derivatives in Medicinal Chemistry: Potential Applications in Cancer Treatment
Molecules
curcumin
cancer
curcumin derivatives
title Curcumin Derivatives in Medicinal Chemistry: Potential Applications in Cancer Treatment
title_full Curcumin Derivatives in Medicinal Chemistry: Potential Applications in Cancer Treatment
title_fullStr Curcumin Derivatives in Medicinal Chemistry: Potential Applications in Cancer Treatment
title_full_unstemmed Curcumin Derivatives in Medicinal Chemistry: Potential Applications in Cancer Treatment
title_short Curcumin Derivatives in Medicinal Chemistry: Potential Applications in Cancer Treatment
title_sort curcumin derivatives in medicinal chemistry potential applications in cancer treatment
topic curcumin
cancer
curcumin derivatives
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/22/5321
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