Journal of Carcinogenesis & Mutagenesis

Abstract

Epigenetics of Curcumin: A Gifted Dietary Therapeutics Compound

Gajendra Kumar Azad and Raghuvir S. Tomar

Purpose of review: Curcumin (CUR), an active polyphenol extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, is a highly pleiotropic molecule having diverse biological activities. The purpose of this review is to present the facts that would assist to understand the Curcumin in regulation of epigenetics and future applications.
Recent findings: The recent growth in the understanding of the epigenetics is leading to a medical revolution that assures a new age of health and disease management. Compounds that have the potential to regulate epigenetics are of great pharmacological importance. Curcumin is one of the best-studied natural bioactive compounds known to interact with several molecular targets inside the cell and influences a range of biological processes. We have analyzed the findings of recent studies on effects of CUR on biological pathways. Accumulating studies suggest that CUR might be a promising agent to treat various human diseases that can occur due to alterations in epigenetics.
Summary: This review summarizes the actions of CUR on different chromatin modifiers, including, histone acetyl-transferases, histone deacetylases, and DNA methyl-transferases. Taking together, we have discussed the novel therapeutic potential of CUR, and we strongly believe that through future studies we will be able to effectively use CUR to improve the human health.