Research progress on chemical composition, pharmacological effects, clinical applications, and processing of Curcumae...

Curcumae Radix: the dried root tuber of plants from the genus Curcuma (family Zingiberaceae), is a commonly used Chinese materia medica for promoting blood circulation and moving qi. It exhibits effects including invigorating blood circulation to relieve pain, moving qi to resolve depression, clearing the heart to cool blood, and promoting bile flow to relieve jaundice. Its botanical origins include Curcuma wenyujin, Curcuma longa, Curcuma kwangsiensis, and Curcumae phaeocaulis. Modern investigations have shown that Curcumae Radix contains over 250 compounds, mainly volatile oils and curcuminoids. Pharmacologically, it exhibits antitumor, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, cardiovascular-protective, and neuroprotective effects. In clinical practice, it is often combined with other herbs for the synergistic treatment of hepatobiliary, neurological, and digestive system disorders. Processing can alter the dissolution and transformation of its chemical constituents, thereby enhancing its efficacy or directionally regulating its actions. Although several reviews have summarized the chemical composition and pharmacological effects of Curcumae Radix, there is still a lack of clear understanding regarding the correlation between chemical differences and efficacy among different botanical origins, a systematic elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying processing-induced efficacy enhancement, and high-quality clinical translational evidence. This review systematically summarizes the chemical constituents, pharmacological effects, clinical applications, and processing research progress of Curcumae Radix, identifies the current key knowledge gaps, and provides a reference for the precision clinical application and modern development of this herbal medicine.