Plant Genomics

Biography

Biography: Tabussam Tufail

Abstract

Curcuma longa is a yellow color spice and herb having significant role in the preservation of food. Curcumin (diferuoyl methane), a yellow active ingredient present in turmeric is a homodimer of feruloylmethane that comprises of a hydroxyl & methoxy group (a heptadiene with two Michael acceptors) and a, b-diketone. It contains various metabolites i.e. hexahydrocurcumin (HHC), tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), octahydrocurcumin (OHC), dihydrocurcumin (DHC), curcumin sulfate and curcumin glucuronide. THC metabolite show higher antioxidant activity than curcumin in experimental subjects. The pleiotropic activities of curcumin derive from its complex chemistry as well as its ability to influence multiple signaling pathways including NF-kB, Akt & growth factors, cytoprotective pathways dependent on Nrf2, metastatic and angiogenic pathways. In addition, it is a potent and specific inhibitor of p300/CBP HAT activity-dependent chromatin transcription. In brain glioma cell lines, curcumin induces histone hypoacetylation to activate poly adenosine diphosphate ribose polymerase-and caspase-3–mediated apoptosis. Moreover, inhibition of p300 mediated by curcumin decreases acetylation of RelA, which attenuates interaction with IjBa, leading to decreased IjBa-dependent nuclear export of the complex through a chromosomal region maintenance-1–dependent pathway. Furthermore, it has strong therapeutic or preventive potential against several major human ailments i.e. suppression of inflammation, cardiovascular, diabetes, tumorigenesis, antimicrobial, chronic fatigue, antidepressant & neurological activities, loss of bone & muscle, depression, and neuropathic pain. Enhanced bioavailability of curcumin in the near future is likely to bring this promising natural product to the forefront of therapeutic agents for treatment of human disease.