ABSTRACT
Curcumin is a phytochemical derived from the bulb of the plant Curcuma longa and is the major component of turmeric. The herb has been used for thousands of years in traditional Ayurvedic and Asian medicine, initially to heal wounds but also to treat diverse conditions. There is a definite need to develop effective, inexpensive, safe treatments for the millions of patients with chronic diseases, including cancer, autoimmune diseases, and degenerative conditions such as arthritis. From the current scenario and study of curcumin, it is believed that data from ongoing and future research will continuously boost researchers to enhance the use of natural, synthetic, and semi synthetic derivatives of the compound as both a primary and secondary therapeutic in a variety of disease states. It has also been reported that curcumin is capable of inhibiting the development of cancer cells and/or inducing many signaling pathways affecting chronic inflammation, including nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κB) and cyclooxygenase-2 enzymes (COX-2). Curcumin has also shown antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects and to be helpful for both prevention and treatment of the new coronavirus. However, well-designed clinical trials are needed to demonstrate the potential efficacy of curcumin against SARS-CoV-2 infection and its ensuing complications. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.