Curcumin is a beta-diketone that is methane in which two of the hydrogens are substituted by feruloyl groups. A natural dyestuff found in the root of Curcuma longa. It has a role as a metabolite, an anti-inflammatory agent, an antineoplastic agent, a hepatoprotective agent, a flavouring agent, a biological pigment, a nutraceutical, an antifungal agent, a dye, a lipoxygenase inhibitor, a ligand, a radical scavenger, a contraceptive drug, an EC 3.5.1.98 (histone deacetylase) inhibitor, an immunomodulator, an iron chelator, a neuroprotective agent, a food colouring, an EC 1.1.1.21 (aldehyde reductase) inhibitor, an EC 1.1.1.25 (shikimate dehydrogenase) inhibitor, an EC 1.1.1.205 (IMP dehydrogenase) inhibitor, an EC 1.6.5.2 [NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (quinone)] inhibitor, an EC 1.8.1.9 (thioredoxin reductase) inhibitor, an EC 2.7.10.2 (non-specific protein-tyrosine kinase) inhibitor and a geroprotector. It is a polyphenol, a beta-diketone, an enone, a diarylheptanoid and an aromatic ether. It is functionally related to a ferulic acid.