Curcumin and Its Derivatives as Potential Therapeutic Agents in Prostate, Colon and Breast Cancers

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2019-11, Vol.24 (23), p.4386
• Main Authors: Mbese, Zintle, Khwaza, Vuyolwethu, Aderibigbe, Blessing Atim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ABC transporters; Angiogenesis; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - pharmacology; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - therapeutic use; Antioxidants; Antitumor activity; Apoptosis; Bioavailability; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Breast Neoplasms - etiology; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Cancer therapies; Cell cycle; Chemical compounds; Chemotherapy; Clinical medicine; Colon; Colon cancer; Colonic Neoplasms - drug therapy; Colonic Neoplasms - etiology; Colonic Neoplasms - metabolism; Colorectal cancer; Coloring agents; Curcumin; Curcumin - analogs & derivatives; Curcumin - chemistry; Curcumin - pharmacology; Curcumin - therapeutic use; Developing countries; Diabetes; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug dosages; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Drug resistance; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm - drug effects; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic - drug effects; Humans; Industrialized nations; Kinases; LDCs; Male; Medical prognosis; Metabolism; Metastases; Metastasis; Pharmacology; Phenolic compounds; Phenols; Prostate; Prostate cancer; Prostatic Neoplasms - drug therapy; Prostatic Neoplasms - etiology; Prostatic Neoplasms - metabolism; Review; Signal Transduction - drug effects; Stem cells; Structure-Activity Relationship; Toxicity
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules24234386

Cancer is a life-threatening disease and is the second leading cause of death around the world. The increasing threats of drug-resistant cancers indicate that there is an urgent need for the improvement or development of more effective anticancer agents. Curcumin, a phenolic compound originally derived from turmeric plant ( L. (Zingiberaceae family)) widely known as a spice and a coloring agent for food have been reported to possess notable anticancer activity by inhibiting the proliferation and metastasis, and enhancing cell cycle arrest or apoptosis in various cancer cells. In spite of all these benefits, the therapeutic application of curcumin in clinical medicine and its bioavailability are still limited due to its poor absorption and rapid metabolism. Structural modification of curcumin through the synthesis of curcumin-based derivatives is a potential approach to overcome the above limitations. Curcumin derivatives can overcome the disadvantages of curcumin while enhancing the overall efficacy and hindering drug resistance. This article reports a review of published curcumin derivatives and their enhanced anticancer activities.