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Review
. 2022 Jan;36(1):189-213.
doi: 10.1002/ptr.7305. Epub 2021 Oct 25.

Curcumin and its derivatives in cancer therapy: Potentiating antitumor activity of cisplatin and reducing side effects

Asal Jalal Abadi  1 , Sepideh Mirzaei  2 , Mahmood Khaksary Mahabady  3 , Farid Hashemi  4 , Amirhossein Zabolian  5 , Fardin Hashemi  6 , Pourya Raee  7 , Shahin Aghamiri  8   9 , Milad Ashrafizadeh  10   11 , Amir Reza Aref  12   13 , Michael R Hamblin  14   15 , Kiavash Hushmandi  16 , Ali Zarrabi  11   17 , Gautam Sethi  18   19
Affiliations
Review

Curcumin and its derivatives in cancer therapy: Potentiating antitumor activity of cisplatin and reducing side effects

Asal Jalal Abadi et al. Phytother Res. 2022 Jan.

Abstract

Curcumin is a phytochemical isolated from Curcuma longa with potent tumor-suppressor activity, which has shown significant efficacy in pre-clinical and clinical studies. Curcumin stimulates cell death, triggers cycle arrest, and suppresses oncogenic pathways, thereby suppressing cancer progression. Cisplatin (CP) stimulates DNA damage and apoptosis in cancer chemotherapy. However, CP has adverse effects on several organs of the body, and drug resistance is frequently observed. The purpose of the present review is to show the function of curcumin in decreasing CP's adverse impacts and improving its antitumor activity. Curcumin administration reduces ROS levels to prevent apoptosis in normal cells. Furthermore, curcumin can inhibit inflammation via down-regulation of NF-κB to maintain the normal function of organs. Curcumin and its nanoformulations can reduce the hepatoxicity, neurotoxicity, renal toxicity, ototoxicity, and cardiotoxicity caused by CP. Notably, curcumin potentiates CP cytotoxicity via mediating cell death and cycle arrest. Besides, curcumin suppresses the STAT3 and NF-ĸB as tumor-promoting pathways, to enhance CP sensitivity and prevent drug resistance. The targeted delivery of curcumin and CP to tumor cells can be mediated nanostructures. In addition, curcumin derivatives are also able to reduce CP-mediated side effects, and increase CP cytotoxicity against various cancer types.

Keywords: apoptosis; chemoresistance; cisplatin; combination cancer chemotherapy; curcumin; side effects.

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References

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