Recent Progress in Curcumin Extraction, Synthesis, and Applications: A Comprehensive Review.

Area of Science:

• Natural Products Chemistry
• Biotechnology
• Food Science

Background:

• Curcumin, derived from Curcuma longa L., possesses anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties.
• Industrial applications are limited by low bioavailability, poor water solubility, and high production costs.
• Existing reviews lack comprehensive quantitative benchmarking and critical evaluation of industrial feasibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of curcumin's physicochemical properties, production routes, and applications.
• To quantitatively benchmark production methods (yield, productivity, environmental metrics).
• To critically evaluate application feasibility, including regulatory aspects and clinical evidence, and suggest future directions for industrial scalability.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review and analysis of curcumin production routes (phytoextraction, chemical synthesis, microbial biosynthesis).
• Quantitative benchmarking of production methods, focusing on yield, productivity, and environmental impact.
• Evaluation of bioavailability enhancement techniques and metabolic engineering strategies.

Main Results:

• Analysis of advantages, limitations, and economic/environmental trade-offs for each production route.
• Identification of recent innovations in enhancing curcumin bioavailability and metabolic engineering.
• Assessment of regulatory hurdles and clinical evidence for various applications.

Conclusions:

• Curcumin's industrial potential is significant but requires overcoming bioavailability and production challenges.
• Quantitative benchmarking and critical evaluation are crucial for sustainable development and commercialization.
• Further research in metabolic engineering and bioavailability enhancement is needed to accelerate market entry for high-value curcumin products.