Review of Curcumin and Its Different Formulations: Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Interactions

Curcumin, the yellow principle of the Indian Turmeric, ‘Haldi’ has recently attracted renewed interest in the field of experimental medicine with pleiotropic activity. This review has emphasized three pharmaceutical studies of interest: the pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, and pharmacodynamics of curcumin. In this review, we attempted to review the general pharmacokinetics profile, pharmacokinetic interactions, and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic interactions of curcumin and its formulations. Different species of turmeric in India, as well as their cultivars, different forms of curcumin, and harvesting methods have also been discussed. Furthermore, pharmacokinetic studies of the interaction of curcumin and its different formulations with efflux transporters such as P-glycoprotein, ABC-transporter protein, multidrug-resistant protein, and cytochrome p450 metabolism enzymes have been broadly explained following data from preclinical and clinical trials reported in the literature. A few interesting chemical interactions between curcumin and its metabolites with the receptor have also been described. The pharmacological activities of curcumin and its related formulations and products have been reviewed in a few targeted disease pathologies of national concern, such as cancer, gastroduodenal disorder, immunodeficiency, liver disease, ophthalmology, diabetes and osteoarthritis among other metabolic diseases, and microbial and viral infections. The pharmacodynamics of curcumin, especially regarding the potassium/calcium ion channel pathway, apoptosis, calcium signaling pathway, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and other intracellular signaling pathways, have been documented. Lastly, the use of curcumin as a cosmetic and the value chain analysis of turmeric products, as well as curcumin, have also been placed appropriately. A total of 174 publications were reviewed and, overall, this review tried to cover various important therapeutic aspects of curcumin, which can generate new research interest in general.