Volume-2 ,Issue-8, August- 2026

Curcumin is a hydrophilic polyphenolic compound of turmeric rhizome (Curcuma longa) that has secured vast interest in scientific circles due to its health benefit potential. The present review is a critical synthesis of the literature on turmeric and curcumin, including their chemical properties, pharmacological activities, therapeutic applications, and such challenges as poor bioavailability. The Review Methodology consisted of a systematic search of peer-reviewed databases and journals that provided articles on turmeric, curcumin, and their effects on health, and included exclusively the articles that are recent (not older than about 5 years) and have high-quality clinical evidence. Findings and general at a glance point to the conclusion that curcumin is safe and well-tolerated in most cases with doses up to a few grams a day with an early suggestion of effective treatment as an adjunct in inflammatory diseases, oncology, and other treatment systems but the harder working meta-analyses have shown that many are not yet conclusively proven due to lack of methodological strength in these studies. These findings are critically assessed in the Discussion section as the paper points to the dichotomy existing between the attractive pharmacological profile of curcumin and barriers to its subsequent implementation in clinical settings. To sum up, curcumin is an interesting but complicated nutraceutical; it is a multi-targeted nutraceutical with numerous bioactivities, but its clinical effects require a solution to bioavailability factors, and efficacy needs to be demonstrated by properly designed trials. The future of research is on improved delivery systems to enhance the pharmacokinetics of curcumin and larger/quality studies to ascertain its therapeutic worth in different uses.

Keyword: curcuma longa, curcuminoids, curcumin, Anti-cancer, Anti-asthmatic, osteoarthritis, Anti-inflammatory, Anti-oxidant, Chemoprotective, Cardioprotective