Curcumin: A Potential Bioactive Agent

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), the main yellow bioactive component of turmeric has shown a wide spectrum of biological actions. Clinically, curcumin has already been used to reduce post-operative inflammation. Safety evaluation studies indicate that curcumin is well tolerated at a very high dose without any toxic effects. Moreover, curcumin have the potential for the development of modern medicine for the treatment of various diseases. This review paper serves to highlight the extensive work done to establish the biological and pharmacological actions, safety and stability aspects along with the structure and possible modifications in curcumin to enhance its bioeffectiveness.