Curcumin Mediated Ferroptosis: An Auspicious Therapeutic Avenue in Cancer Treatment

Ferroptosis is newly recognized form of regular cell death which is associated with iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation in cells. This procedure leads to immense oxidative damage, inhibition of antioxidant defense, and a high generation of ROS. Ferroptosis progression is linked to mitochondrial dysfunction and p53 activation. In fact, excessive ROS generation after iron buildup leads to further mitochondrial lipid peroxidation. Curcumin, a naturally occurring polyphenolic chemical that comes from Curcuma longa, has a variety of pharmacological characteristics, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-neoplastic, and antioxidant actions. According to recent studies, curcumin and its derivatives can induce ferroptosis in cancerous cells, offering a novel means of halting tumor growth and overcoming drug resistance. Curcumin can induce ferroptosis in tumor cells via a number of regulatory mechanisms, such as those pertaining to the metabolism of iron, lipids, and amino acids. This might lead to the development of new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of cancer that is resistant to apoptosis. Ferroptosis is another way it affects anticancer immunotherapy. This study intends to demonstrate curcumin and its derivatives as strong inducers of ferroptosis and highlights their potential to transform cancer therapy paradigms by thoroughly reviewing the existing literature.