Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
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.

PubMed Disclaimer

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

References

    1. Torp S.H., Solheim O., Skjulsvik A.J. The WHO 2021 Classification of Central Nervous System Tumours: A Practical Update on What Neurosurgeons Need to Know—A Minireview. Acta Neurochir. 2022;164:2453–2464. doi: 10.1007/s00701-022-05301-y. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Price M., Pittman Ballard C.A., Benedetti J., Neff C., Cioffi G., Waite K., Kruchko C., Barnholtz-Sloan J.S., Ostrom Q.T. CBTRUS Statistical Report: Primary Brain and Other Central Nervous System Tumors Diagnosed in the United States in 2017–2021. Neuro-Oncol. 2024;26:vi1–vi85. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noae145. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Lan Z., Li X., Zhang X. Glioblastoma: An Update in Pathology, Molecular Mechanisms and Biomarkers. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024;25:3040. doi: 10.3390/ijms25053040. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Miller K.D., Ostrom Q.T., Kruchko C., Patil N., Tihan T., Cioffi G., Fuchs H.E., Waite K., Jemal A., Siegel R.L., et al. Brain and Other Central Nervous System Tumor Statistics, 2021. CA A Cancer J. Clin. 2021;71:381–406. doi: 10.3322/caac.21693. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Sejda A., Grajkowska W., Trubicka J., Szutowicz E., Wojdacz T.K., Kloc W., Izycka-Swieszewska E. WHO CNS5 2021 Classification of Gliomas: A Practical Review and Road Signs for Diagnosing Pathologists and Proper Patho-Clinical and Neuro-Oncological Cooperation. Folia Neuropathol. 2022;60:137–152. doi: 10.5114/fn.2022.118183. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources