Is There a Role for Curcumin Supplementation in the Treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease? The Data Suggest Yes

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common type of liver disease. NAFLD is considered a multifactorial disease and a clinically relevant hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. NAFLD is often accompanied by a constellation of metabolic and non-metabolic alterations, like dyslipidemia, insulin resistance in the liver and peripheral tissues, inflammation and oxidative stress; therefore, treatment of NAFLD should be directed at correcting all of these disturbances. The natural polyphenol curcumin has been the subject of increasing research for the treatment of NAFLD due to its lipid-modifying, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, insulin-sensitizing, anti-steatotic, and anti-fibrotic properties. The therapeutic efficacy of curcumin has been demonstrated in several experimental models of NAFLD, however, clinical evidence is still scarce. The present review summarizes the current knowledge on the impact of curcumin supplementation on different biochemical and histopathological features of NAFLD.