Molecular understanding of curcumin in diabetic nephropathy

• Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major chronic complication of diabetes mellitus.
• Myriad abnormalities in pathways may combine to produce pathological changes in DN.
• Curcumin is a multi-target compound that regulates multiple pathways.
• Low bioavailability of curcumin makes limited usage in clinical settings.
• Many attempts have been made to improve the bioavailability of curcumin.

Diabetic nephropathy is characterized by a plethora of signaling abnormalities. Recent trials have suggested that intensive glucose-lowering treatment leads to hypoglycemic events, which can be dangerous. Curcumin is the active ingredient of turmeric, which has been widely used in many countries for centuries to treat numerous diseases. The preventive and therapeutic properties of curcumin are associated with its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Here, we highlight the renoprotective role of curcumin in diabetes mellitus (DM) with an emphasis on the molecular basis of this effect. We also briefly discuss the numerous approaches that have been undertaken to improve the pharmacokinetics of curcumin.