Cancer nanotherapeutics is an important field of research which utilizes nanomaterials as an approach to cancer therapy. Nano-mediated therapeutic delivery systems overcome the adverse side effects of traditional cancer treatment methods. Nanoparticles (NPs) are considered excellent tumor-targeting vehicles due to their compact and variable size, large surface area, ability to load several genes and drugs, and mediation of increased therapeutic payload uptake. Despite the rapid development of nanotechnology, there is growing concern regarding the possible long-term side effects of NPs on the environment and human health. Green chemistry using plant materials, such as curcumin, is a sustainable alternative to conventional reduction methods and confers dual reducing and capping properties. Curcumin is a bioactive compound isolated from the rhizome of the Curcuma longa plant, which exhibits various medicinal properties. Curcumin-capped NPs exhibit increased solubility, bioavailability, therapeutic indices, and antitumor properties. This review highlights the potential and antitumor properties of economical, simple, and eco-friendly curcumin-synthesized and capped NPs for the localized delivery of therapeutic genes and drugs to the cancer tumor microenvironment with fewer adverse side effects.
Keywords: cancer; curcumin; delivery systems; green chemistry; nanoparticles.