Is there a role for curcumin in the treatment of bipolar disorder?

Curcumin is a polyphenolic nonflavonoid compound extracted from the rhizome of turmeric (Curcuma longa), a plant commonly used in Indian and Chinese traditional medicine to treat rheumatism, cough, inflammation and wounds. Curcumin putative targets, known based on studies of diverse central nervous system disorders other than bipolar disorders (BD) include several proteins currently implicated in the pathophysiology of BD. These targets include, but are not limited to, transcription factors activated by environmental stressors and pro-inflammatory cytokines, protein kinases (PKA, PKC), enzymes, growth factors, inflammatory mediators, and anti-apoptotic proteins (Bcl-XL). Herein, we review previous studies on the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties of curcumin and discuss its therapeutic potential in BD.