Curcumin as a Nutraceutical Candidate in Cancer: A Systematic Review of Preclinical Antiproliferative, Anti-Metastatic, and Formulation Evidence

Authors

  • Resti Zulhaijah Master Program of Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, East Java Indonesia
  • Subandi Subandi Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, East Java, Indonesia
  • Loeki Enggar Fitri Department of Clinical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, East Java, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36568/jone.v4i3.758

Keywords:

cancer, curcumin, metastasis, neut, nanoformulation, nutraceutical

Abstract

Curcumin, a polyphenolic constituent of turmeric (Curcuma longa), has been investigated as a food-derived nutraceutical with potential anticancer properties, but its clinical translation is limited by poor aqueous solubility, chemical instability, rapid metabolism, and low systemic exposure. This systematic review, conducted following PRISMA 2020, synthesized preclinical evidence on the antiproliferative, anti-metastatic, and formulation-related effects of native curcumin and curcumin-containing formulations in cancer models. A systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink (January 2016 to 20 June 2026) identified 15 eligible studies: nine on native curcumin and six on curcumin formulations. Across multiple cancer models, including breast, ovarian, colorectal, thyroid, pancreatic, hepatocellular, and meningioma, curcumin generally reduced cancer-cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and tumor growth, with effects converging on signaling pathways involved in cell survival, inflammation, and metastatic behavior. Evidence was predominantly in vitro, with limited animal-model confirmation. Formulation studies demonstrated measurable improvements over native curcumin: an ionic-liquid system increased aqueous solubility by approximately 8,750-fold and reduced MDA-MB-231 viability by about 60% at 10 micrograms per milliliter without comparable toxicity in normal fibroblasts; curcumin nanocapsules showed a lower IC50 than microcapsules in breast cancer cells; and spanlastics produced stronger anticancer activity than nanocrystals, which instead showed the most rapid dissolution. Overall, curcumin demonstrates promising preclinical bioactivity, but evidence remains limited by substantial heterogeneity in models, formulations, doses, exposure durations, and outcome measures, preventing meta-analysis. These findings support curcumin as a biologically active nutraceutical candidate requiring further pharmacokinetic, safety, and in vivo validation before translational application in cancer care.

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Published

2026-07-10

How to Cite

Zulhaijah, R., Subandi, S., & Fitri, L. E. (2026). Curcumin as a Nutraceutical Candidate in Cancer: A Systematic Review of Preclinical Antiproliferative, Anti-Metastatic, and Formulation Evidence. Journal of Nutrition Explorations, 4(3), 300–319. https://doi.org/10.36568/jone.v4i3.758

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 3 (2026): Agustus

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Copyright (c) 2026 Resti Zulhaijah, Subandi Subandi, Loeki Enggar Fitri

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