Curcumin: footprints on cardiac tissue engineering

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Curcumin-based products are extensively used as therapeutics in the treatment of cardiac disorders; however, there is no significant report on the curcumin potentials in cardiac tissue engineering applications. Due to its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties, curcumin has been demonstrated to be a promising candidate for tissue engineering (TE) applications.

Areas covered: Various curcumin-containing tissue-engineered constructs have been developed for the management of soft tissue damages (such as wound injuries); hence, there are hopes for the use of this natural product in cardiac tissue engineering (CTE). However, some crucial issues should primarily be addressed before curcumin could be widely used in CTE.

Expert opinion: The challenges regarding the use of curcumin in CTE include the optimum dosages of curcumin for promoting cardiac regeneration, the type of carrier used (e.g., polymeric matrices), the preferable release profile, as well as the short- and long-term toxicity in the human body.

KEYWORDS:

• Curcumin
• cardiac tissue engineering
• cardiac patches
• biomaterials
• scaffolds
• tissue engineering
• regenerative medicine

Article Highlights

• Curcumin is widely used as a natural substance in promoting soft and hard tissue repair and regeneration.

• Curcumin shows promising properties for cardiac regeneration, including anti-inflammation, anti-oxidant, and anti-bacterial effects.

• The protective molecular mechanisms activated by curcumin in cardiomyocytes have been well-identified.

• Several clinical trials confirmed the positive role of curcumin in cardiovascular diseases, like hear failure.

• Challenges ahead of extensive use of curcumin in cardiac tissue engineering include determining the right concentrations and the type of carrier used.

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Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer Disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.