Curcumin, a yellow-colored molecule derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, has been identified as the bioactive compound responsible for numerous pharmacological activities of turmeric, including anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, etc. Nevertheless, the clinical application of curcumin is inadequate due to its low solubility, poor absorption, rapid metabolism and elimination. Advancements in recent research have shown several components and techniques to increase the bioavailability of curcumin. Combining with adjuvants, encapsulating in carriers and formulating in nanoforms, in combination with other bioactive agents, synthetic derivatives and structural analogs of curcumin, have shown increased efficiency and bioavailability, thereby augmenting the range of applications of curcumin. The scope for incorporating biotechnology and nanotechnology in amending the current drawbacks would help in expanding the biomedical applications and clinical efficacy of curcumin. Therefore, in this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the plethora of therapeutic potentials of curcumin, their drawbacks in efficient clinical applications and the recent advancements in improving curcumin’s bioavailability for effective use in various biomedical applications.

Onion, (Allium cepa L.), is one of the most consumed and grown vegetable crops in the world. Onion bulb, with its characteristic flavor, is the third most essential horticultural spice with a substantial commercial value. Apart from its culinary virtues, A. cepa is also used traditionally for its medicinal virtues in a plethora of indigenous cultures. Several publications have been produced in an endeavor to validate such traditional claims. Nonetheless, there is still a dearth of up-to-date, detailed compilation, and critical analysis of the traditional and ethnopharmacological propensities of A. cepa. The present review, therefore, aims to systematically review published literature on the traditional uses, pharmacological properties, and phytochemical composition of A. cepa. A. cepa was found to possess a panoply of bioactive compounds and numerous pharmacological properties, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, hypolipidemic, anti-hypertensive, and immunoprotective effects. Although a large number of in vitro and in vivo studies have been conducted, several limitations and research gaps have been identified which need to be addressed in future studies.