Bioactive Compounds and Biological Activities of Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.)

The golden spice turmeric is nature's multifaceted creation and is popular widely by many names like haldi, Indian saffron, and kitchen queen. It has numerous varieties with great utility. The main constituents of turmeric, i.e., curcumin (polyphenol that helps with a variety of conditions including high cholesterol, anxiety, oxidative stress, and inflammation), phenol, alkaloid, tannin, and saponin, exhibit significant pharmaceutical activity like anti-inflammation, antiviral, antioxidant, anticancer, fungal dysfunction, and many more. Recently, nanocurcumin has been the primary research point because of its tiny size; it works as an enhancer of curcumin's major characteristics by modifying metabolism, increasing solubility, increasing bioavailability, and targeting specificity. When combined with other boosting agents, curcumin has many health advantages. Nanocurcumin is like an upgraded version of curcumin which enhances physiochemical activities. Turmeric is also used to beautify skin and in traditional practices for medicinal purposes. In India, some tribes' livelihood depends on turmeric production. Kandhamal and Koraput districts of Odisha are famous for turmeric production. Conventional methods of cultivating turmeric are still widely practiced by many tribal farmers. Farmers in Odisha grow turmeric for personal consumption, seed production, and as a source of income. The center of attention of this article is the cultivation process, storage, and other significant factors like soil, land types, and climate. This study will also summarize chemical, analogs, formulations, and biological and pharmacological activities, making turmeric a tremendous therapeutic drug. This review also touches upon the nanoformulation of curcumin, which is a great discovery in the drug delivery system.