皮肤癌是指发生在皮肤上的任何恶性病变，主要见于欧洲人种中。常规的治疗方式如切除活检、化疗、放疗、免疫疗法、电烧灼和光动力疗法会导致多种非预期的副作用，影响患者的生活质量和身体健康。因此，像姜黄素这样的来自香料的营养保健品，具有良好的耐受性、较低的成本和相对安全性，被认为是治疗皮肤癌的有希望的药物。姜黄素是从印度香料姜黄中提取的化学成分，以及其类似物已经在包括皮肤癌在内的各种哺乳动物癌症中使用。姜黄素通过触发细胞凋亡过程、抑制一些信号通路，并阻止癌细胞的增殖和浸润，具有抗肿瘤活性，从而防止致癌过程。姜黄素也是一种光敏剂，已经在光动力疗法中使用。姜黄素的主要限制包括生物利用度低、不稳定、在皮肤中的渗透性有限以及在水中的溶解度不足。这将限制姜黄素在临床环境中的使用。因此，开发一个能够理想释放姜黄素到目标部位的合适制剂是重要的。因此，已经建立了几种基于姜黄素的纳米制剂，如纳米凝胶、纳米乳液、纳米纤维、纳米图案薄膜、纳米脂质体和纳米泡膜、纳米盘、环糊精。本综述主要关注姜黄素及其类似物作为治疗不同类型皮肤癌的药物。强调使用各种基于纳米技术的纳米制剂以及负载姜黄素的非纳米制剂作为高效治疗模式的重要性。© 2023 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Skin cancer refers to any malignant lesions that occur in the skin and are observed predominantly in populations of European descent. Conventional treatment modalities such as excision biopsy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, electrodesiccation, and photodynamic therapy induce several unintended side effects which affect a patient's quality of life (QOL) and physical well-being. Therefore, spice-derived nutraceuticals like curcumin, which are well tolerated, less expensive, and relatively safe, have been considered a promising agent for skin cancer treatment. Curcumin, a chemical constituent extracted from the Indian spice, turmeric, and its analogues has been used in various mammalian cancers including skin cancer. Curcumin has anti-neoplastic activity by triggering the process of apoptosis and preventing the multiplication and infiltration of the cancer cells by inhibiting some signalling pathways and thus subsequently preventing the process of carcinogenesis. Curcumin is also a photosensitizer and has been used in PDT. The major limitations associated with curcumin are poor bioavailability, instability, limited permeation into the skin, and lack of solubility in water. This will constrain the use of curcumin in clinical settings. Hence, developing a proper formulation that can ideally release curcumin to its targeted site is important. So, several nanoformulations based on curcumin have been established such as nanogels, nanoemulsions, nanofibers, nanopatterned films, nanoliposomes and nanoniosomes, nanodisks, and cyclodextrins. The present review mainly focuses on curcumin and its analogues as therapeutic agents for treating different types of skin cancers. The significance of using various nanoformulations as well non-nanoformulations loaded with curcumin as an effective treatment modality for skin cancer is also emphasized.© 2023 IOP Publishing Ltd.