Chemotherapeutic efficacy of curcumin and resveratrol against cancer: Chemoprevention, chemoprotection, drug synergism and clinical pharmacokinetics

The frequent inefficiency of conventional cancer therapies due to drug resistance, non-targeted drug delivery, chemotherapy-associated toxic side effects turned the focus to bioactive phytochemicals. In this context, curcumin and resveratrol have emerged as potent chemopreventive and chemoprotective compounds modulating apoptotic and autophagic cell death pathways in cancer in vitro and in vivo. As synergistic agents in combination with clinically established anticancer drugs, the enhanced anticancer activity at reduced chemotherapyassociated toxicity towards normal organs can be explained by improved pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, bioavailability and metabolism. With promising preclinical and clinical applications, the design of drugloaded nanoparticles, nanocarriers, liposomes and micelles have gained much attention to improve target specificity and drug efficacy. The present review focuses on the molecular modes of chemoprevention, chemoprotection and drug synergism with special emphasis to preclinical and clinical applications, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and advanced drug delivery methods for the development of next-generation personalized cancer therapeutics.

Automated summary

Curcumin and resveratrol, bioactive phytochemicals, have shown promising chemopreventive and chemoprotective effects in cancer therapy. When combined with established anticancer drugs, they enhance anticancer activity while reducing toxicity towards normal organs through improved pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, bioavailability, and metabolism.Development of drug-loaded nanoparticles, nanocarriers, liposomes, and micelles is gaining attention to improve target specificity and drug efficacy in cancer therapeutics.