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New Promising Therapeutic Applications of Curcumin: Outcome and Pathways
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New Promising Therapeutic Applications of Curcumin: Outcome and Pathways

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2022) | Viewed by 15803

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Chiara Porro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, 71121 Foggia, Italy
Interests: extracellular vesicle; microglia; bioactive foods; neuroprotection; neurodegenera-tive diseases; ageing; anti-inflammatory molecules; curcumin; resveratrol; vita-mins
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plants and their constituents have been incredibly popular in health management since antiquity. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have shown the beneficial effects of medicinal plants in different diseases through the modulation of cellular response, cell signaling, and epigenetic processes. Polyphenols such as resveratrol, curcumin, flavonoids, etc. are involved in plants’ defensive response against stress from ultraviolet radiation, pathogen agents, and physical damage.

Curcumin is a natural dietary polyphenol extracted from Curcuma Longa L. that exhibits a number of health proprieties, including antibacterial, antiviral, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiaging properties.

Curcumin is a highly pleiotropic molecule that interacts with numerous molecular targets, including miRNA, and is used for the treatment of neurodegenerative, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular, cancer, pulmonary, autoimmune and neoplastic diseases, biliary and hepatic disorders, metabolic diseases, wound healing, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic inflammation, chronic kidney diseases, hypertension, osteoporosis, and ocular and skin diseases.

Curcumin bioavailability is very low in humans, so an appropriate nanocarrier-mediate delivery system may increase its therapeutic index.

This Special Issue entitled “New Promising Therapeutic Applications of Curcumin: Outcome and Pathways” welcomes the submission of both original research manuscripts and reviews concerning the biological effects of curcumin in vitro, its bioavailability, and its health-promoting effects other than its potential therapeutic applications, including its incorporation into novel functional matrices.

Prof. Dr. Chiara Porro
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • curcumin
  • natural compounds
  • molecular pathway
  • cancer
  • anti-inflammatory properties
  • antioxidant properties
  • anti-aging
  • therapy
  • nanocarrier
  • exosomes
  • MiRNA

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Related Special Issues

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 4400 KiB  
Article
Hepatoprotective Effect of Curcumin Nano-Lipid Carrier against Cypermethrin Toxicity by Countering the Oxidative, Inflammatory, and Apoptotic Changes in Wistar Rats
by Sohail Hussain, Mohammad Ashafaq, Saeed Alshahrani, Ibrahim A. M. Bokar, Rahimullah Siddiqui, Mohammad Intakhab Alam, Manal Mohamed Elhassan Taha, Yosif Almoshari, Saad S. Alqahtani, Rayan A. Ahmed, Abdulmajeed M. Jali and Marwa Qadri
Molecules 2023, 28(2), 881; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28020881 - 16 Jan 2023
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2695
Abstract
This study investigated the potential hepatoprotective activity of curcumin-incorporated nano-lipid carrier (Cur-NLC) against cypermethrin (Cyp) toxicity in adult Wistar male rats. All animals in groups III, IV, V, and VI were subjected to Cyp (50 mg/kg) toxicity for 15 days. Three different doses [...] Read more.
This study investigated the potential hepatoprotective activity of curcumin-incorporated nano-lipid carrier (Cur-NLC) against cypermethrin (Cyp) toxicity in adult Wistar male rats. All animals in groups III, IV, V, and VI were subjected to Cyp (50 mg/kg) toxicity for 15 days. Three different doses of Cur-NLC (1, 2.5, and 5 mg/kg/day) were administered orally for 10 days. The toxic effects were evaluated considering the increases in serum hepatic biomarkers alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total protein and albumin, and lipid peroxidation (LPO), as well as a decrease in antioxidative activity (reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase) and the upregulation of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α). Immunohistochemistry studies of proteins (NF-κB, Apaf-1, 4-HNE, and Bax) showed enhanced expression, and histopathological examination revealed architectural changes in liver cells, indicating liver toxicity in animals. Toxicity was determined by quantitative and qualitative determinations of DNA fragmentation, which show massive apoptosis with Cyp treatment. The administration of Cur-NLC significantly ameliorates all changes caused by Cyp, such as a decrease in the levels of serum liver markers, an increase in antioxidative parameters, a decrease in expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and NF-κB), and apoptosis (caspases-3, 9, Apaf-1, 4-HNE, and Bax), according to calorimetric and immunohistochemistry studies. The smear-like pattern of DNA is ameliorated similarly to the control at a high dose of Cur-NLC. Furthermore, all histopathological changes were reduced to a level close to the control. In conclusion, Cur-NLC could be a potent nutraceutical that exhibits a hepatoprotective effect against Cyp-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Promising Therapeutic Applications of Curcumin: Outcome and Pathways)
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12 pages, 3297 KiB  
Article
Investigating the Mechanisms of Bisdemethoxycurcumin in Ulcerative Colitis: Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification
by Huihuan Wu, Sha Tu, Zewei Zhuo, Rui Jiang, Ruijie Zeng, Qi Yang, Qizhou Lian, Weihong Sha and Hao Chen
Molecules 2023, 28(1), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28010068 - 21 Dec 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2443
Abstract
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disorder that is hard to cure once diagnosed. Bisdemethoxycurcumin has shown positive effects on inflammatory diseases. However, the underlying bioactive interaction between bisdemethoxycurcumin and ulcerative colitis is unclear. The objective of this study was to determine [...] Read more.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disorder that is hard to cure once diagnosed. Bisdemethoxycurcumin has shown positive effects on inflammatory diseases. However, the underlying bioactive interaction between bisdemethoxycurcumin and ulcerative colitis is unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the core target and potential mechanism of action of bisdemethoxycurcumin as a therapy for ulcerative colitis. The public databases were used to identify potential targets for bisdemethoxycurcumin and ulcerative colitis. To investigate the potential mechanisms, the protein-protein interaction network, gene ontology analysis, and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes analysis have been carried out. Subsequently, experimental verification was conducted to confirm the findings. A total of 132 intersecting genes of bisdemethoxycurcumin, as well as ulcerative coli-tis-related targets, were obtained. SRC, EGFR, AKT1, and PIK3R1 were the targets of highest potential, and the PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways may be essential for the treatment of ulcerative colitis by bisdemethoxycurcumin. Molecular docking demonstrated that bisdemethoxycurcumin combined well with SRC, EGFR, PIK3R1, and AKT1. Moreover, the in vitro experiments suggested that bisdemethoxycurcumin might reduce LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines levels in RAW264.7 cells by suppressing PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways. Our study provided a comprehensive overview of the potential targets and molecular mechanism of bisdemethoxycurcumin against ulcerative colitis. Furthermore, it also provided a theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of ulcerative colitis, as well as compelling evidence for further study on the mechanism of bisdemethoxycurcumin in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Promising Therapeutic Applications of Curcumin: Outcome and Pathways)
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14 pages, 3832 KiB  
Article
Oxidative Products of Curcumin Rather Than Curcumin Bind to Helicobacter Pylori Virulence Factor VacA and Are Required to Inhibit Its Vacuolation Activity
by Maya Chaturvedi, Mohit Mishra, Achyut Pandey, Jyoti Gupta, Jyoti Pandey, Shilpi Gupta, Md. Zubbair Malik, Pallavi Somvanshi and Rupesh Chaturvedi
Molecules 2022, 27(19), 6727; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27196727 - 9 Oct 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2172
Abstract
Curcumin is a hydrophobic polyphenol derived from turmeric with potent anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effects. Curcumin is degraded into various derivatives under in vitro and in vivo conditions, and it appears that its degradation may be responsible for the pharmacological effects of [...] Read more.
Curcumin is a hydrophobic polyphenol derived from turmeric with potent anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effects. Curcumin is degraded into various derivatives under in vitro and in vivo conditions, and it appears that its degradation may be responsible for the pharmacological effects of curcumin. The primary risk factor for the cause of gastric cancer is Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). A virulence factor vacuolating cytotoxic A (VacA) is secreted by H. pylori as a 88 kDa monomer (p88), which can be fragmented into a 33 kDa N-terminal domain (p33) and a 55 kDa C-terminal domain (p55). Recently it has been reported that curcumin oxidation is required to inhibit the activity of another major H.pylori toxin CagA. We performed molecular docking of curcumin and its oxidative derivatives with p33 and p55 domains of VacA. Further, we have examined the effect of the oxidation of curcumin on the vacuolation activity of VacA protein. We observed the binding of curcumin to the p55 domain of VacA at five different sites with moderate binding affinities. Curcumin did not bind to p33 domain of VacA. Remarkably, cyclobutyl cyclopentadione and dihydroxy cyclopentadione, which are oxidized products of curcumin, showed a higher binding affinity with VacA protein at all sites except one as compared to parent curcumin itself. However, cyclobutyl cyclopentadione showed a significant binding affinity for the active site 5 of the p55 protein. Active site five (312–422) of p55 domain of VacA plays a crucial role in VacA-mediated vacuole formation. Invitro experiments showed that curcumin inhibited the vacuolation activity of H. pylori in human gastric cell line AGS cells whereas acetyl and diacetyl curcumin, which cannot be oxidized, failed to inhibit the vacuolation in AGS cells after H. pylori infection. Here our data showed that oxidation is essential for the activity of curcumin in inhibiting the vacuolation activity of H. pylori. Synthesis of these oxidized curcumin derivatives could potentially provide new therapeutic drug molecules for inhibiting H. pylori-mediated pathogenesis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Promising Therapeutic Applications of Curcumin: Outcome and Pathways)
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Review

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19 pages, 1871 KiB  
Review
The Effects of Curcumin on Inflammasome: Latest Update
by Tarek Benameur, Socorro Vanesca Frota Gaban, Giulia Giacomucci, Francesca Martina Filannino, Teresa Trotta, Rita Polito, Giovanni Messina, Chiara Porro and Maria Antonietta Panaro
Molecules 2023, 28(2), 742; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28020742 - 11 Jan 2023
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3332
Abstract
Curcumin, a traditional Chinese medicine extracted from natural plant rhizomes, has become a candidate drug for the treatment of different diseases due to its anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities. Curcumin is generally beneficial to improve human health with anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties [...] Read more.
Curcumin, a traditional Chinese medicine extracted from natural plant rhizomes, has become a candidate drug for the treatment of different diseases due to its anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities. Curcumin is generally beneficial to improve human health with anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties as well as antitumor and immunoregulatory properties. Inflammasomes are NLR family, pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) proteins that are activated in response to a variety of stress signals and that promote the proteolytic conversion of pro-interleukin-1β and pro-interleukin-18 into active forms, which are central mediators of the inflammatory response; inflammasomes can also induce pyroptosis, a type of cell death. The NLRP3 protein is involved in a variety of inflammatory pathologies, including neurological and autoimmune disorders, lung diseases, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and many others. Different functional foods may have preventive and therapeutic effects in a wide range of pathologies in which inflammasome proteins are activated. In this review, we have focused on curcumin and evidenced its therapeutic potential in inflammatory diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, respiratory diseases, and arthritis by acting on the inflammasome. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Promising Therapeutic Applications of Curcumin: Outcome and Pathways)
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16 pages, 1308 KiB  
Review
Tetrahydrocurcumin-Related Vascular Protection: An Overview of the Findings from Animal Disease Models
by Li Zhang, Changhu Li, Sicheng Wang, Dimiter Avtanski, Nikola Hadzi-Petrushev, Vadim Mitrokhin, Mitko Mladenov and Feng Wang
Molecules 2022, 27(16), 5100; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27165100 - 10 Aug 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4215
Abstract
Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), one of the major metabolites of CUR, possesses several CUR-like pharmacological effects; however, its mechanisms of action are largely unknown. This manuscript aims to summarize the literature on the preventive role of THC on vascular dysfunction and the development of hypertension [...] Read more.
Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), one of the major metabolites of CUR, possesses several CUR-like pharmacological effects; however, its mechanisms of action are largely unknown. This manuscript aims to summarize the literature on the preventive role of THC on vascular dysfunction and the development of hypertension by exploring the effects of THC on hemodynamic status, aortic elasticity, and oxidative stress in vasculature in different animal models. We review the protective effects of THC against hypertension induced by heavy metals (cadmium and iron), as well as its impact on arterial stiffness and vascular remodeling. The effects of THC on angiogenesis in CaSki xenografted mice and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are well documented. On the other hand, as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound, THC is involved in enhancing homocysteine-induced mitochondrial remodeling in brain endothelial cells. The experimental evidence regarding the mechanism of mitochondrial dysfunction during cerebral ischemic/reperfusion injury and the therapeutic potential of THC to alleviate mitochondrial cerebral dysmorphic dysfunction patterns is also scrutinized and explored. Overall, the studies on different animal models of disease suggest that THC can be used as a dietary supplement to protect against cardiovascular changes caused by various factors (such as heavy metal overload, oxidative stress, and carcinogenesis). Additionally, the reviewed literature data seem to confirm THC’s potential to improve mitochondrial dysfunction in cerebral vasculature during ischemic stroke through epigenetic mechanisms. We suggest that further preclinical studies should be implemented to demonstrate THC’s vascular-protective, antiangiogenic, and anti-tumorigenic effects in humans. Applying the methods used in the presently reviewed studies would be useful and will help define the doses and methods of THC administration in various disease settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Promising Therapeutic Applications of Curcumin: Outcome and Pathways)
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