Kinetics of Oxidation of Curcumin in Presence of Various Oxidizing Agents in Different Solvents
Raparthi Chandra Shekar and Vempati Srinivasulu
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21757774
ABSTRACT
Curcumin, the primary bioactive curcuminoid from Curcuma longa, displays potent antioxidant activity yet is highly susceptible to oxidation, impacting its stability, bioavailability, and utility in environmental applications such as pollutant scavenging and natural preservative systems. This review comprehensively examines kinetic studies on curcumin oxidation up to 2025, encompassing oxidants including hydrogen peroxide, peroxydisulfate, hypochlorite, transition metal ions, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and autoxidation across diverse solvents (aqueous buffers, ethanol, DMSO, acetonitrile, and lipid media). Predominantly first-order or pseudo-first-order kinetics are observed, with rate constants spanning several orders of magnitude depending on pH, solvent polarity, temperature, and oxidant type. Organic protic solvents generally confer greater stability compared to alkaline aqueous media. The review incorporates data tables, comparative graphs, and Arrhenius insights derived from primary literature. Environmental implications for green chemistry and gaps in real-matrix studies are highlighted.
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