Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major concern when using chemotherapy for the treatment of patients with colorectal cancer. MDR modulators are agents that can reverse MDR and, thus, enhance the chemosensitivity of tumor cells. The development of MDR modulators can improve the therapeutic efficacies of MDR in cancer. However, few effective MDR modulators have been identified so far. Curcumin has been reported to be an effective compound in the reversal of MDR in colorectal cancer cells. However, the mechanisms associated with the reversal effect of curcumin on MDR and its regulation of target factors in MDR cells remain to be fully elucidated. 3‑(4,5‑dimethyl‑2‑thiazol)‑2,5‑diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays, flow cytometer apoptosis assays as well as mRNA and protein expression assays were performed in the present study, and the results confirmed the reversal effect of curcumin on HCT‑8/5‑Fu cells and provided evidence that activated nuclear factor erythroid 2‑related factor (Nrf2) deficiency induced by the curcumin altered the B‑cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‑2) associated X protein/Bcl‑2 expression ratio, which led to the induction of apoptosis in HCT‑8/5‑Fu cells. These results indicated that Nrf2 may have a functional in the reversal effect of curcumin and contribute, at least in part, to the outcomes of chemotherapy in patients with MDR.