A review: advances of curcumin co-delivery biomaterials-based system in anti-tumor therapy

Curcumin, a widely utilized natural plant extract, has been reported for its applications in various clinical treatment scenarios, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor, antimicrobial, and anti-aging effects. However, curcumin’s properties such as low solubility in water and susceptibility to oxidation, among others, have hindered its drug delivery process and efficiency. Therefore, curcumin needs to be co-delivered with other molecules to achieve better anti-tumor therapeutic effects, such as other anti-tumor drugs, photothermal agents, and metal compounds, to enhance its anti-tumor efficacy. In this review, the current status of curcumin as a naturally synthesized extract and the research progress of its combined application with other molecules are summarized, and the authors also present their own perspectives on the future application of curcumin.