RESUMO
Curcumin obtained by solvent extraction of turmeric i.e., the ground rhizomes of Curcuma longa L. belonging to family Zingiberaceae and most useful herbal medicinal plant. Extensive research within the last half a century has proven that most of these activities, associated with turmeric are due to curcumin. Curcumin has been shown to exhibit various diseases such as anti- inflammatory, anti-oxidant, antifungal. Antimicrobial, antiulcer, anticancer and hepatoprotective activities and thus has a potential against various malignant diseases, diabetes, allergies, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and other chronic diseases. These effects are mediated through the regulation of various transcription factors, growth factors, inflammatory cytokines, protein kinase and other enzymes remarkably non-toxic. The purpose of this review is to provide a brief summary of the current knowledge of the effects of curcumin. Curcumin exhibits great promise as a therapeutic agent, and is currently in human clinical trials for a variety of conditions. Since multi targeted therapy is more effective than the mono targeted therapy, curcumin has promising scope in the future research.