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REVIEW article

Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Ethnopharmacology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1430284

Role of Curcuma longae Rhizoma in medical applications: research challenges and opportunities

Provisionally accepted
Peng Zhang Peng Zhang Hong Liu Hong Liu Yuan Yu Yuan Yu Shiyang Peng Shiyang Peng Shaomi Zhu Shaomi Zhu *
  • Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Curcuma longae Rhizoma, commonly known as turmeric, is extensively utilized not only in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) but also across various traditional medicine systems worldwide. It is renowned for its effectiveness in removing blood stasis, promoting blood circulation, and relieving pain. The primary bioactive metabolites of Curcuma longae Rhizoma—curcumin, β-elemene, curcumol, and curdione—have been extensively studied for their pharmacological benefits. These include anti-tumor properties, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular protection, immune regulation, liver protection, and their roles as analgesics, anti-inflammatories, antivirals, antibacterials, hypoglycemics, and antioxidants. This review critically examines the extensive body of research regarding the mechanisms of action of Curcuma longae Rhizoma, which engages multiple molecular targets and signaling pathways such as NF-κB, MAPKs, and PI3K/AKT. The core objective of this review is to assess how the main active metabolites of turmeric interact with these molecular systems to achieve therapeutic outcomes in various clinical settings. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges related to the bioavailability of these metabolites and explore potential methods to enhance their therapeutic effects. By doing so, this review aims to provide fresh insights into the optimization of Curcuma longae Rhizoma for broader clinical applications.

    Keywords: Curcuma longae Rhizoma, Curcumin, Curcumol, β-elemene, Curdione, Pharmacological activities

    Received: 09 May 2024; Accepted: 29 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Zhang, Liu, Yu, Peng and Zhu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Shaomi Zhu, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.