Efficacy and mechanisms of curcumin in the treatment of osteoarthritis: A scoping review

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that primarily affects the elderly worldwide. It is characterized by local inflammation, which can be targeted therapeutically using natural anti-inflammatory compounds such as curcumin. This scoping review explores the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of curcumin in OA management. A total of 50 relevant original studies published in English were selected from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus using specific search strings, regardless of study type. These studies demonstrated curcumin's anti-inflammatory, protective, and anti-apoptotic effects on chondrocytes. Curcumin has been shown to stimulate chondrocyte proliferation and collagen production while inhibiting matrix metalloproteinase activity. These mechanisms contribute to curcumin's ability to alleviate pain and improve joint function in OA patients. While the findings highlight curcumin's potential in OA management, further research is needed to enhance its bioavailability and determine optimal formulations, dosages, and administration routes.

Figure 1.

PRISMA flowchart on the article selection process. PRISMA: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

Figure 2.

The mechanisms of curcumin in protecting joint health. Curcumin activates AMP-activated protein kinase, mitophagy, NF-kB, Wnt and Sirtuin 1 signaling pathways in chondrocytes, thereby upregulating the anabolic processes and downregulating the catabolic processes.

Figure 3.

The joint protecting effects of curcumin as demonstrated in animal models. Curcumin protects against osteoarthritis by reducing inflammatory signaling, improving antioxidant defence and chondrocyte autophagy and mitophagy. Thus, joint structural integrity is preserved in the supplemented animals.