Mechanistic Insight into the Effects of Curcumin on Neuroinflammation-Driven Chronic Pain

Abstract

Chronic pain is a persistent and unremitting condition that has immense effects on patients’ quality of life. Studies have shown that neuroinflammation is associated with the induction and progression of chronic pain. The activation of microglia and astrocytes is the major hallmark of spinal neuroinflammation leading to neuronal excitability in the projection neurons. Excessive activation of microglia and astrocytes is one of the major contributing factors to the exacerbation of pain. However, the current chronic pain treatments, mainly by targeting the neuronal cells, remain ineffective and unable to meet the patients’ needs. Curcumin, a natural plant product found in the Curcuma genus, improves chronic pain by diminishing the release of inflammatory mediators from the spinal glia. This review details the role of curcumin in microglia and astrocytes both in vitro and in vivo and how it improves pain. We also describe the mechanism of curcumin by highlighting the major glia-mediated cascades in pain. Moreover, the role of curcumin on inflammasome and epigenetic regulation is discussed. Furthermore, we discuss the strategies used to improve the efficacy of curcumin. This review illustrates that curcumin modulating microglia and astrocytes could assure the treatment of chronic pain by suppressing spinal neuroinflammation.

Dietary Supplementation for Attenuating Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage and Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness in Humans

“…Therefore, curcumin has been shown to cure various diseases, including cancer, heart failure, and Alzheimer’s dementia [ 21 , 22 , 23 ]. In addition, curcumin exerts analgesic effects on acute and chronic pain by de-sensitizing the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, an ion channel responsible for pain sensation, thereby reducing pain sensitivity [ 24 , 25 ]. Curcumin also regulates inflammatory cascades, such as NF-κB and Nrf2 pathways [ 26 ], and therefore possibly limits post-exercise inflammation, which subsequently reduces pain sensitivity and DOMS.…”

Inflammaging and Brain: Curcumin and Its Beneficial Potential as Regulator of Microglia Activation

“…Attenuates BBB disruption by preventing the disruption of tight junction proteins after SAH 2. Inhibiting mRNA levels of VCAM-1, TNF-α, MIP-2, MCP- Moreover, for more detailed information on the absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of curcumin as well as plasma and brain pharmacokinetics of curcumin, please refer to the recent manuscript by Hasriadi and colleagues which contains highly comprehensive information on this aspect [152].…”

Curcumin and metformin synergistically modulate peripheral and central immune mechanisms of pain

“…Moreover, the therapeutic effectiveness of curcumin in nociceptive, inflammatory, and neuropathic pain has been reported in numerous animal models and humans 22 . Considering its analgesic mechanisms of action, it effectively attenuates pain by modulating the neurotransmitters related to pain, suppressing the immune response, or blocking the transient receptor potential vanilloid type I (TRPV1) receptors, and modulating purinergic and chemokine receptors 23 – 27 . However, curcumin has low stability and poor water solubility and is quickly metabolized in the gastrointestinal tract and liver, despite its apparent benefits 27 .…”