The emerging role of curcumin for improving vascular dysfunction: A review

ABSTRACT

Curcumin, when administered in a bioavailable form, has potential to influence vascular health of various populations, leading to decreases in cardiovascular disease risk. Clinical intervention studies with curcumin have demonstrated significant improvements in endothelial function, arterial compliance, arterial stiffness, and other measures of vascular hemodynamics in young, middle-aged, old, post-menopausal, healthy, diabetic, and obese individuals. Mechanistically, curcumin is believed to improve vascular function through its effects on inflammation, oxidative stress, nitric oxide bioavailability, and structural proteins of the artery. Current data give support for curcumin to be administered for improvements in vascular health to individuals that may or may not be at risk for cardiovascular disease. This review briefly summarizes the techniques used for the establishment of vascular health and overviews the literature investigating the role of curcumin in the improvement of vascular health.

KEYWORDS:

• Turmeric
• endothelial function
• oxidative stress
• inflammation
• bioavailability
• arterial stiffness

Acknowledgments

The authors have no funding, sponsorship, or relevant declarations of interest to declare.

Disclosures

Dr. Fleenor has been a principal investigator on a grant from AstraZeneca related to Saxagliptin, and Drs. Fleenor and Campbell have completed a study on curcumin funded by Akay Flavours & Aromatics Pvt. Ltd.