Curcumin Conjugates as Potential Anti-inflammatory Agents

Abstract

Curcumin, a component of turmeric (Curcuma longa), is a compound that is beginning to gain significant notoriety for its many medicinal uses. While curcumin has been used as a remedy to treat a wide variety of ailments for centuries, a considerable amount of research is currently being conducted to determine its anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial capacity. Current anti-inflammatory medications and cancer treatments, although effective, can produce serious side effects, which in some cases can be irreversible. Although curcumin exhibit qualities that show promise for effectively treating certain life-threatening diseases, they do come with some drawbacks. This research is concerned with synthesizing potential curcumin based drug candidates that combat inflammation. By coupling curcumin with amino acids, we hoped to develop potent conjugates and diminished side effects. To do this, optimal reaction conditions had to be established, which involved utilizing different coupling reagents and solvents at varied temperatures. Once favorable conditions were obtained, several curcumin-amino acid conjugates were successfully synthesized in excellent yield without alterations to chirality. In doing so, an efficient methodology for synthesizing these conjugates was developed. The details of these compounds and anti-inflammatory property will be discussed in the conference.