Biological actions of curcumin on articular chondrocytes Y. Henrotin, A.L. Clutterbuck, D. Allaway, E.M. Lodwig, P. Harris, M. Mathy-Hartert, M. Shakibaei, A. Mobasheri  Osteoarthritis and Cartilage  Volume 18, Issue 2, Pages 141-149 (February 2010) DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2009.10.002 Copyright © 2009 Osteoarthritis Research Society International Terms and Conditions

Fig. 1 The chemical structure of curcumin. Chemical names: diferuloylmethane or 1,7-bis (4′-hydroxy-3′-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 2010 18, 141-149DOI: (10.1016/j.joca.2009.10.002) Copyright © 2009 Osteoarthritis Research Society International Terms and Conditions

Fig. 2 The curcumin/AP-1/NF-κB axis in inflammatory cell signalling responses in joint cells. This schematic illustrates the potential sites of action of curcumin in the NF-κB signalling pathway in a typical joint cell. Curcumin (C) can prevent IκBα phosphorylation, as well as preventing the translocation of active NF-κB into the nucleus, thereby preventing it from activating gene expression of MMPs, stimulators of MMP synthesis (cytokines), inflammatory mediators (cytokines and COX-2) and apoptotic executioners (caspase-3). Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 2010 18, 141-149DOI: (10.1016/j.joca.2009.10.002) Copyright © 2009 Osteoarthritis Research Society International Terms and Conditions