[Research progress on the signaling pathways of curcumin in obesity treatment].

Obesity and related metabolic syndrome have become a worldwide health crisis. Browning of white adipose tissue, reducing triglyceride content in adipocytes, decreasing the number of adipocytes and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress in adipose tissue are effective strategies to attenuate obesity and its related complications. The present review discussed the role of the natural substance curcumin in reducing adipose tissue by regulating different signaling pathways, including inhibiting adipogenesis, promoting apoptosis, inducing brown adipocytes, and anti-inflammation. The effects of curcumin on improving obesity-related metabolic syndrome were analyzed, including promoting mitochondrial biogenesis and regulating mitochondrial autophagy, anti-oxidation, anti-inflammatory, ameliorating endoplasmic reticulum stress and modulating lipolysis signaling pathways. In addition, the bioavailability of curcumin and its challenges in clinical applications were discussed. This paper also reviewed the molecular mechanisms of curcumin in reducing obesity, with a hope to provide new insights into the application of curcumin to treat obesity and related metabolic diseases.