Targeting Intrinsic and Extrinsic Pathways of Ferroptosis: A Novel Anticancer Strategy of Curcumin

Abstract

Background: The turmeric rhizome yields a medicinal compound called curcumin. Curcumin’s anticancer methods mostly involve blocking cell invasion and proliferation, controlling gene expression, preventing angiogenesis, triggering apoptosis, and inducing ferroptosis. A brand-new nonapoptotic kind of planned cell death is called ferroptosis. Ferroptosis can be initiated through two major pathways: the extrinsic or transporter-dependent pathway, and the intrinsic or enzyme-regulated pathway. It is unknown, therefore, how curcumin and its derivatives prevent cancer by controlling ferroptosis.Purpose: Through this review, we concentrate on the possible anticancer mechanisms of curcumin by means of its effect on ferroptosis; the regulation of iron metabolism, the synthesis of reactive oxygen species, and the targeting of antioxidant pathways represent a few of these processes.Methodology: Retrieve English literature of curcumin and its derivatives in the treatment of tumor by ferroptosis from databases such as Web of Science, etc.Conclusion: This review provides a rationale for the clinical use of curcumin and its derivatives as anticancer agents.

Keywords: Ferroptosis; curcumin; mechanism; anticancer