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Review
. 2025 Mar 18;14(3):351.
doi: 10.3390/antiox14030351.

Potential of Curcumin and Its Analogs in Glioblastoma Therapy

Agnieszka Nowacka  1 , Ewa Ziółkowska  2 , Wojciech Smuczyński  3 , Dominika Bożiłow  4 , Maciej Śniegocki  1
Affiliations
Review

Potential of Curcumin and Its Analogs in Glioblastoma Therapy

Agnieszka Nowacka et al. Antioxidants (Basel). .

Abstract

Curcumin, a polyphenol found in turmeric, demonstrates multifaceted anti-cancer activity against glioblastoma. Its therapeutic potential stems from its ability to modulate various molecular pathways implicated in glioblastoma development and progression, enhance the effectiveness of radiation therapy, and induce cancer cell death through diverse mechanisms, including apoptosis, autophagy, and cell cycle arrest. These combined actions make curcumin a promising candidate for glioblastoma treatment, warranting further investigation into its clinical application. In this review, we summarize the latest research on curcumin and its analogs' potential in glioblastoma therapy.

Keywords: GBM; JAK/STAT; MAPK; NF-κB; Pl3K/Akt; Shh; anti-cancer; curcumin; curcumin nanoformulations; glioblastoma; glioblastoma therapy; oxidative stress; p53; radiosensitization.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chemical structure of curcumin—diketo and enol form.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Curcumin and ROS in carcinogenesis: COX—cyclooxygenase; DNA—deoxyribonucleic acid; IFN—interferon; ILs—interleukins; p21—cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21; p53—cellular tumor antigen p53; PGs—prostaglandins; RNS—reactive nitrogen species; ROS—reactive oxygen species; TNF-α—tumor necrosis factor alpha.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Demethoxycurcumin (DMC) and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) chemical structure.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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