ReviewMolecules (Basel, Switzerland)2014
Curcumin differs from tetrahydrocurcumin for molecular targets, signaling pathways and cellular responses.
Review in Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 101 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
101 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 266 citations in OpenAlex.
- Evaluation of curcumin intake in reducing exercise-induced muscle damage in athletes: a systematic review.Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2024Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Tetrahydrocurcumin for Major Depressive Disorder with Therapeutic Potential and Mechanistic Insights from Clinical and Preclinical Studies.Molecular neurobiology · 2025Trial
- Superior Bioavailability of a Novel Curcumin Formulation in Healthy Humans Under Fasting Conditions.Advances in therapy · 2022Trial
- Transcriptomic Exploration of Tetrahydrocurcumin Effects in Chronic Kidney Disease.Biomedicines · 2026Article
- Elucidating the vasoprotective mechanism of Tetrahydrocurcumin: from unbiased transcriptomic discovery to targeted validation of the PI3K/AKT pathway.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2026Article
- Curcumin and Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Synergistic Effects with Targeted Therapy.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- The role of myocardial fibrosis in the diabetic cardiomyopathy.Diabetology & metabolic syndrome · 2025Review
- Tetrahydrocurcumin Outperforms Curcumin in Preventing Oxidative Stress-Induced Dysfunction in Tert-Butyl Hydroperoxide-Stimulated Cardiac Fibroblasts.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- The Efficacy of Curcumin-Mediated Photodynamic Therapy in the Treatment of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review of In Vitro Studies.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- The Role of Tetrahydrocurcumin in Tumor and Neurodegenerative Diseases Through Anti-Inflammatory Effects.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Unlocking the Potential ofMolecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Emerging Anti-Inflammatory Attributes of Curcumin: A Novel Paradigm and Ameliorative Attributes for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis.Current rheumatology reviews · 2025Review
- Article
- Curcumin: biochemistry, pharmacology, advanced drug delivery systems, and its epigenetic role in combating cancer.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Review
- Curcumin attenuates liver injury by modulating the AGE-RAGE axis and metabolic homeostasis in high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic mice.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Article
- Tetrahydrocurcumin Protects Microglial Cells AgainstInternational journal of medical sciences · 2025Article
- Curcumin, an active component of turmeric: biological activities, nutritional aspects, immunological, bioavailability, and human health benefits - a comprehensive review.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Review
- Therapeutic potential of curcumin in regenerative dentistry.Frontiers in dental medicine · 2025Article
- Protective Effect of Curcumin on Metabolic Syndrome Components through the Microbiota.Current medicinal chemistry · 2025Review
41 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a golden pigment from turmeric, has been linked with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, antibacterial, and antidiabetic properties. Most of the these activities have been assigned to methoxy, hydroxyl, α,β-unsaturated carbonyl moiety or to diketone groups present in curcumin. One of the major metabolites of curcumin is tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), which lacks α,β-unsaturated carbonyl moiety and is white in color. Whether THC is superior to curcumin on a molecular level is unclear and thus is the focus of this review. Various studies suggest that curcumin is a more potent antioxidant than THC; curcumin (but not THC) can bind and inhibit numerous targets including DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase-1, heme oxygenase-1, Nrf2, β-catenin, cyclooxygenase-2, NF-kappaB, inducible nitric oxide synthase, nitric oxide, amyloid plaques, reactive oxygen species, vascular endothelial growth factor, cyclin D1, glutathione, P300/CBP, 5-lipoxygenase, cytosolic phospholipase A2, prostaglandin E2, inhibitor of NF-kappaB kinase-1, -2, P38MAPK, p-Tau, tumor necrosis factor-α, forkhead box O3a, CRAC; curcumin can inhibit tumor cell growth and suppress cellular entry of viruses such as influenza A virus and hepatitis C virus much more effectively than THC; curcumin affects membrane mobility; and curcumin is also more effective than THC in suppressing phorbol-ester-induced tumor promotion. Other studies, however, suggest that THC is superior to curcumin for induction of GSH peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, NADPH: quinone reductase, and quenching of free radicals. Most studies have indicated that THC exhibits higher antioxidant activity, but curcumin exhibits both pro-oxidant and antioxidant properties.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.