Metal–Curcumin Complexes in Modern Pharmacotherapeutics: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

The major ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, has drawn a lot of interest as a plant-based substance having pharmacological benefits that are pleiotropic. It has immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin has certain health-promoting properties, but they are limited by its hydrophobicity, insolubility in water, low bioavailability, quick metabolism, and systemic elimination. Complexes of metals with curcumin have been created as a result of this unique step. The -diketone moiety of curcumin often interacts with metals to form metal-curcumin complexes. It is generally known that the metal ions of boron, cobalt, copper, gallium, gadolinium, gold, lanthanum, manganese, nickel, iron, palladium, platinum, ruthenium, silver, vanadium, and zinc are all highly chelated by curcumin. Metal-curcumin complexes’ pharmacological, chemo-preventive, and therapeutic properties are described in this paper. Metal-curcumin complexes boost the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties of curcumin by increasing its solubility, cellular absorption, and bioavailability. Additionally, metal-curcumin complexes have shown effectiveness against a number of chronic illnesses, such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and neurological conditions including Alzheimer’s disease. The regulation of inflammatory mediators, transcription factors, protein kinases, antiapoptotic proteins, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzymes was linked to these biological activities of metal-curcumin complexes. Metal-curcumin complexes have also proven beneficial in radio-imaging and biological imaging. Future applications of metal-curcumin complexes might signal a fresh strategy for the management of chronic illnesses.