REVIEW ON DERIVING A HYPOTHESIS FOR ACHIEVING SUPERIOR BIOAVAILABILITY OF CURCUMIN AS AN ANTITUMOR AGENT

Curcumin, chemically 1,7-bis (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) hepta-1,6-diene-3,5-dione derived from Curcuma longa L. is an active chemical constituent used medicinally worldwide from ancient times. Though Curcumin enjoying the reputation of many pharmacological actions, it has certain setbacks with poor bioavailability. The poor water solubility is said to be the reason for poor bioavailability, rather it is more about drug permeability and diffusion through different membranes. Curcumin as a drug candidate can be studied by considering various principal factors like rate, time, and location of the release of the drug with respect to its efficacy. It was found that the drug distribution is more at the kidney and liver than other organs due to substantial metabolism and elimination of drug at these sites. Due to its uneven, oversensitive, and non-bioavailable nature, additional clinical trials on curcumin are unwarranted. In fact, poor absorption, rapid metabolism, chemical instability, and quick systemic elimination anything could be a reason for poor bioavailability. The best possible solution for this problem is so narrow and lies somewhere around liposomal curcumin, curcumin phospholipid complexes, curcumin metal complexation and the use of structural analogs of curcumin. This review focus on compiling various scientific approaches made as the part of curcumin research to overcome the poor bioavailability and attempted in deriving a hypothesis to develop super curcumin.