Immunomodulatory potential of Curcuma longa: A review

Abstract

Medicinal plants having immunomodulatory properties provide an alterna-tive potential to conventional chemotherapy for a variety of diseases espe-cially in relation to host defense mechanism. Curcumin one of major curcu-minoids of Curcuma longa, reportedly possess several pharmacological prop-erties including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, immunomodulatory activi-ties. Curcumin blocks inflammatory enzymes cyclooxygenase (COX), lipooxy-genase (LOX), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP). Curcumin suppresses the proliferation of a wide variety of tumour cells, including breast carcinoma, colon carcinoma, and renal cell carcinoma through cell cycle arrest. It in-duced apoptosis by downregulation of antiapoptotic protein (Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL). Curcumin modulates immune system by suppressing T-cells, proliferating number of B-cells and reducing proliferation of immature B-cell lymphoma cells. Curcumin treatment inhibited the production of cytokines (IL-8, MIP-1α, MCP-1, IL-1β, TNF-α) and dimerisation of TLR’s. Immunoregulatory activi-ty of curcumin is by inhibiting phosphorylation of IKKβ which ultimately leads to suppression of NF-κB (transcriptional activator protein). This activity of curcumin has renewed scientific interest in its potential to prevent and treat the diseases such as arthritis, allergy, asthma & cancer.