Molecular targets for the management of cancer using Curcuma longa Linn. phytoconstituents: A Review

Biomed Pharmacother. 2021 Mar:135:111078. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.111078. Epub 2021 Feb 1.

Abstract

Medicinal plants are being used for therapeutic purposes since the dawn of human civilization. The therapeutic efficacy of medicinal plants is due to the presence of wide range phytochemical constituents or secondary metabolites. The medicinal plants are traditionally used for several types of ailments. Even in those pathological conditions where other methods of treatment fail to work. Curcuma longa Linn is very common ingredient used as spice in foods as preservative and coloring material in different part of the world. It has been used as a home remedy for a variety of diseases. Curcuma longa and its isolated constituent curcumin are widely evaluated for anticancer activity. Curcumin possesses broad remedial potential due to its multi-targeting effect against many different carcinoma including leukemia, genitourinary cancers, gastrointestinal cancers and breast cancer etc. Hence, Curcumin has potential for the development of new medicine for the treatment of several diseases.

Keywords: Anticancer drugs; Curcuma longa; Curcumin; Medicinal plants; drug resistance.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / isolation & purification
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
  • Curcumin* / chemistry
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasms / genetics
  • Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Phytochemicals / adverse effects
  • Phytochemicals / isolation & purification
  • Phytochemicals / therapeutic use*
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Phytochemicals
  • Curcumin