Curcumin for inflammatory bowel disease therapy: advances in mechanisms, clinical applications, and drug delivery

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and recurrent gastrointestinal disorder, which is typically characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss, significantly impairing patients' quality of life. The etiology of IBD is multifactorial, involving complex interactions among genetic predisposition, immune dysregulation, environmental influences, and gut microbiota imbalance. Curcumin (CUR), a natural polyphenolic compound derived from the traditional Chinese medicine Curcuma longa, attracted considerable interest in pharmacological research due to its potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. In the context of IBD, CUR exerts therapeutic effects by modulating key inflammatory signaling pathways, maintaining the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier, and restoring microbial homeostasis. Clinical studies demonstrated that CUR can alleviate IBD symptoms, suppress inflammatory responses, and improve patients' quality of life. Nevertheless, its clinical application is limited by poor aqueous solubility and low oral bioavailability. To address these limitations, a variety of nanodelivery systems-including polymeric nanoparticles, lipid-based carriers, and nanofibers-have been developed to enhance the solubility, stability, and targeted delivery of CUR. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the mechanistic insights, clinical applications, and drug delivery strategies of CUR in IBD therapy, to support future research and clinical translation.