Obesity-Associated Inflammation: Does Curcumin Exert a Beneficial Role?
Curcumin is a lipophilic polyphenol, isolated from the plant turmeric of Curcuma longa. Curcuma longa has always been used in traditional medicine in Asian countries because it is believed to have numerous health benefits. Nowadays it is widely used as spice component and in emerging nutraceutical f...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/3/1021 |
| _version_ | 1797540502379167744 |
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| author | Rosaria Varì Beatrice Scazzocchio Annalisa Silenzi Claudio Giovannini Roberta Masella |
| author_facet | Rosaria Varì Beatrice Scazzocchio Annalisa Silenzi Claudio Giovannini Roberta Masella |
| author_sort | Rosaria Varì |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Curcumin is a lipophilic polyphenol, isolated from the plant turmeric of Curcuma longa. Curcuma longa has always been used in traditional medicine in Asian countries because it is believed to have numerous health benefits. Nowadays it is widely used as spice component and in emerging nutraceutical food worldwide. Numerous studies have shown that curcumin possesses, among others, potential anti-inflammatory properties. Obesity represents a main risk factor for several chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some types of cancer. The establishment of a low-grade chronic inflammation, both systemically and locally in adipose tissue, occurring in obesity most likely represents a main factor in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases. The molecular mechanisms responsible for the onset of the obesity-associated inflammation are different from those involved in the classic inflammatory response caused by infections and involves different signaling pathways. The inflammatory process in obese people is triggered by an inadequate intake of nutrients that produces quantitative and qualitative alterations of adipose tissue lipid content, as well as of various molecules that act as endogenous ligands to activate immune cells. In particular, dysfunctional adipocytes secrete inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, the adipocytokines, able to recruit immune cells into adipose tissue, amplifying the inflammatory response also at systemic level. This review summarizes the most recent studies focused at elucidating the molecular targets of curcumin activity responsible for its anti-inflammatory properties in obesity-associated inflammation and related pathologies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:01:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-918fbbbedcef417bb51734ca37353181 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:01:40Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-918fbbbedcef417bb51734ca373531812023-11-21T11:28:12ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432021-03-01133102110.3390/nu13031021Obesity-Associated Inflammation: Does Curcumin Exert a Beneficial Role?Rosaria Varì0Beatrice Scazzocchio1Annalisa Silenzi2Claudio Giovannini3Roberta Masella4Center for Gender-Specific Medicine, Gender Specific Prevention and Health Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, ItalyCenter for Gender-Specific Medicine, Gender Specific Prevention and Health Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, ItalyCenter for Gender-Specific Medicine, Gender Specific Prevention and Health Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, ItalyCenter for Gender-Specific Medicine, Gender Specific Prevention and Health Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, ItalyCenter for Gender-Specific Medicine, Gender Specific Prevention and Health Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, ItalyCurcumin is a lipophilic polyphenol, isolated from the plant turmeric of Curcuma longa. Curcuma longa has always been used in traditional medicine in Asian countries because it is believed to have numerous health benefits. Nowadays it is widely used as spice component and in emerging nutraceutical food worldwide. Numerous studies have shown that curcumin possesses, among others, potential anti-inflammatory properties. Obesity represents a main risk factor for several chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some types of cancer. The establishment of a low-grade chronic inflammation, both systemically and locally in adipose tissue, occurring in obesity most likely represents a main factor in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases. The molecular mechanisms responsible for the onset of the obesity-associated inflammation are different from those involved in the classic inflammatory response caused by infections and involves different signaling pathways. The inflammatory process in obese people is triggered by an inadequate intake of nutrients that produces quantitative and qualitative alterations of adipose tissue lipid content, as well as of various molecules that act as endogenous ligands to activate immune cells. In particular, dysfunctional adipocytes secrete inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, the adipocytokines, able to recruit immune cells into adipose tissue, amplifying the inflammatory response also at systemic level. This review summarizes the most recent studies focused at elucidating the molecular targets of curcumin activity responsible for its anti-inflammatory properties in obesity-associated inflammation and related pathologies.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/3/1021curcuminobesityinflammationadipose tissue |
| spellingShingle | Rosaria Varì Beatrice Scazzocchio Annalisa Silenzi Claudio Giovannini Roberta Masella Obesity-Associated Inflammation: Does Curcumin Exert a Beneficial Role? Nutrients curcumin obesity inflammation adipose tissue |
| title | Obesity-Associated Inflammation: Does Curcumin Exert a Beneficial Role? |
| title_full | Obesity-Associated Inflammation: Does Curcumin Exert a Beneficial Role? |
| title_fullStr | Obesity-Associated Inflammation: Does Curcumin Exert a Beneficial Role? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Obesity-Associated Inflammation: Does Curcumin Exert a Beneficial Role? |
| title_short | Obesity-Associated Inflammation: Does Curcumin Exert a Beneficial Role? |
| title_sort | obesity associated inflammation does curcumin exert a beneficial role |
| topic | curcumin obesity inflammation adipose tissue |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/3/1021 |
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