Curcumin and its allied analogues: epigenetic and health perspectives - a review

Curcumin (diferuoyl methane) is a yellow active ingredient present in turmeric. It is a homodimer of feruloylmethane that comprises a hydroxyl and methoxy group (heptadiene with two Michael acceptors), and α-, β-diketone. It contains various metabolites, i.e. hexahydrocurcumin (HHC), tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), octahydrocurcumin (OHC), dihydrocurcumin (DHC), curcumin sulphate, and curcumin glucuronide. Curcumin has been proven the most effective histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor in HeLa nuclear extracts. It has the ability to affect the Akt, growth factors, NF-kB, and metastatic and angiogenic pathways. Curcumin has a strong therapeutic or preventive potential against several major human ailments, i.e. suppression of inflammation, cardiovascular, diabetes, tumorigenesis, chronic fatigue, antidepressant and neurological activities, depression, loss of muscle and bone, and neuropathic pain. In future, higher utilisation of curcumin as an active agent in food based products is required to curtail the human health disorders.