Evaluating The Therapeutic Potential Of Curcumin In The Management Of Diabetes Mellitus

Curcumin, found in Curcuma longa as a yellow pigment, is a bioactive chemical with tremendous medicinal potential for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. This metabolic condition is characterized by an inappropriate regulation of blood glucose levels brought on by inadequate insulin production and/or action. Curcumin targets the primary pathways that lead to diabetes, such as oxidative stress and β-cell dysfunction, using its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic capabilities. Findings of research suggest that curcumin effectively reduces fasting blood glucose and improves the activity of insulin and β-cells, thus preventing pancreatic damage. Interesting enough is the finding that curcumin has been reported to protect β-cells from oxidative damage and apoptosis by regulating the activities of NADPH oxidase, inflammatory cytokines, etc. This also revealed that curcumin might prevent the transition from pre-diabetes to type 2 diabetes and reduce insulin resistance in diabetic models. In vitro experiments further showed that curcumin protected the islet cells against oxidative stress through high glucose, and thus it adds further evidence to its potential role as a therapeutic agent. Despite the drawback of its poor bioavailability, the therapeutic efficacy of curcumin recently improved with some new formulations combined with excipients or synthesized analogy. Curcumin is considered a promising adjunct to the therapy of diabetes because it is safe and affordable and multi-beneficial, thus deserving further clinical research for optimization in the use of curcumin in the therapy of diabetes