Curcumin as a Natural Remedy for Atherosclerosis: A Pharmacological Review
- PMID: 34279384
- PMCID: PMC8272048
- DOI: 10.3390/molecules26134036
Curcumin as a Natural Remedy for Atherosclerosis: A Pharmacological Review
Abstract
Curcumin, a natural polyphenolic compound present in Curcuma longa L. rhizomes, shows potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-atherosclerotic properties. Atherosclerosis is a comprehensive term for a series of degenerative and hyperplasic lesions such as thickening or sclerosis in large- and medium-sized arteries, causing decreased vascular-wall elasticity and lumen diameter. Atherosclerotic cerebro-cardiovascular disease has become a major concern for human health in recent years due to its clinical sequalae of strokes and heart attacks. Curcumin concoction treatment modulates several important signaling pathways related to cellular migration, proliferation, cholesterol homeostasis, inflammation, and gene transcription, among other relevant actions. Here, we provide an overview of curcumin in atherosclerosis prevention and disclose the underlying mechanisms of action of its anti-atherosclerotic effects.
Keywords: atherosclerosis; curcumin; pharmacology; therapeutics.
Conflict of interest statement
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Figures
Similar articles
-
Curcumin as a natural regulator of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1.Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 2017 Feb;33:55-63. doi: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2016.10.001. Epub 2016 Oct 8. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 2017. PMID: 27743775 Review.
-
Curcumin inhibits the formation of atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice by suppressing cytomegalovirus activity in endothelial cells.Life Sci. 2020 Sep 15;257:117658. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117658. Epub 2020 Jul 2. Life Sci. 2020. PMID: 32621921
-
Therapeutic Potential and Recent Advances of Curcumin in the Treatment of Aging-Associated Diseases.Molecules. 2018 Apr 5;23(4):835. doi: 10.3390/molecules23040835. Molecules. 2018. PMID: 29621160 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Effects of curcumin on HDL functionality.Pharmacol Res. 2017 May;119:208-218. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2017.02.008. Epub 2017 Feb 10. Pharmacol Res. 2017. PMID: 28192240 Review.
-
Curcumin as a potential modulator of M1 and M2 macrophages: new insights in atherosclerosis therapy.Heart Fail Rev. 2019 May;24(3):399-409. doi: 10.1007/s10741-018-09764-z. Heart Fail Rev. 2019. PMID: 30673930 Review.
Cited by
-
Phytol from Scoparia dulcis prevents NF-κB-mediated inflammatory responses during macrophage polarization.3 Biotech. 2024 Mar;14(3):80. doi: 10.1007/s13205-024-03924-9. Epub 2024 Feb 17. 3 Biotech. 2024. PMID: 38375513 Free PMC article.
-
Multifaceted Pharmacological Potentials of Curcumin, Genistein, and Tanshinone IIA through Proteomic Approaches: An In-Depth Review.Cancers (Basel). 2022 Dec 30;15(1):249. doi: 10.3390/cancers15010249. Cancers (Basel). 2022. PMID: 36612248 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Curcumin - The Nutraceutical With Pleiotropic Effects? Which Cardiometabolic Subjects Might Benefit the Most?Front Nutr. 2022 May 17;9:865497. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.865497. eCollection 2022. Front Nutr. 2022. PMID: 35662932 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Curcumin ameliorates ischemic stroke injury by downregulating GMFB expression: An in vitro study.Biomol Biomed. 2025 Jan 30;25(3):578-587. doi: 10.17305/bb.2024.10957. Biomol Biomed. 2025. PMID: 39388704 Free PMC article.
-
Curcumin in treatment of hematological cancers: Promises and challenges.J Tradit Complement Med. 2024 Jan 5;14(2):121-134. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2023.10.004. eCollection 2024 Mar. J Tradit Complement Med. 2024. PMID: 38481552 Free PMC article. Review.
References
-
- Ito K., Maeda T., Tada K., Takahashi K., Yasuno T., Masutani K., Mukoubara S., Arima H., Nakashima H. The role of cigarette smoking on new-onset of chronic kidney disease in a Japanese population without prior chronic kidney disease: Iki epidemiological study of atherosclerosis and chronic kidney disease (ISSA-CKD) Clin. Exp. Nephrol. 2020;24:919–926. doi: 10.1007/s10157-020-01914-8. - DOI - PubMed
-
- Ye J., Wang Y., Wang Z., Liu L., Yang Z., Wang M., Xu Y., Ye D., Zhang J., Zhou Q., et al. The Expression of IL-12 Family Members in Patients with Hypertension and Its Association with the Occurrence of Carotid Atherosclerosis. Mediat. Inflamm. 2020;2020:2369279. doi: 10.1155/2020/2369279. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical