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Review
. 2022 Apr 22:12:881641.
doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.881641. eCollection 2022.

Anticancer Properties of Curcumin Against Colorectal Cancer: A Review

Affiliations
Review

Anticancer Properties of Curcumin Against Colorectal Cancer: A Review

Oluwafemi Adeleke Ojo et al. Front Oncol. .

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common and reoccurring diseases, as well as the world's second largest cause of mortality. Despite existing preventative, diagnostic, and treatment methods, such as chemotherapy, the number of instances rises year after year. As a result, new effective medications targeting specific checkpoints should be developed to combat CRC. Natural compounds, such as curcumin, have shown significant anti-colorectal cancer characteristics among medications that can be used to treat CRC. These chemicals are phenolic compounds that belong to the curcuminoids category. Curcumin exerts its anti-proliferative properties against CRC cell lines in vitro and in vivo via a variety of mechanisms, including the suppression of intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathways, the stoppage of the cell cycle, and the activation of autophagy. Curcumin also has anti-angiogenesis properties. Thus, this review is aimed at emphasizing the biological effect and mode of action of curcumin on CRC. Furthermore, the critical role of these substances in CRC chemoprevention was emphasized.

Keywords: anticancer; bioactive compounds; colorectal cancer; curcumin; pharmacological activities.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Structure of curcumin.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Curcumin induces apoptosis in CRC.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Schematic representation of the mechanism of curcumin in stem cells.

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