Synthesis of Curcumin Glycosides with Enhanced Anticancer Properties Using One-Pot Multienzyme Glycosylation Technique

Curcumin is a natural polyphenolic compound, widely acclaimed for its antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antibacterial, and anticancerous properties. However, its use has been limited due to its low-aqueous solubility and poor bioavailability, rapid clearance, and low cellular uptake. In order to assess the effect of glycosylation on the pharmacological properties of curcumin, one-pot multienzyme (OPME) chemoenzymatic glycosylation reactions with UDP- α-D-glucose or UDP-α-D-2-deoxyglucose as donor substrate were employed. The result indicated significant conversion of curcumin to its glycosylated derivatives: curcumin 4'-O-β- glucoside, curcumin 4',4''-di-O-β-glucoside, curcumin 4'-O-β-2-deoxyglucoside, and curcumin 4',4''-di-O-β-2-deoxyglucoside. The products were characterized by ultra-fast performance liquid chromatography, high-resolution quadruple-time-of-flight electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, and NMR analyses. All the products showed improved water solubility and comparable antibacterial activities. Additionally, the curcumin 4'-O-β-glucoside and curcumin 4'-O-β-2-deoxyglucoside showed enhanced anticancer activities compared with the parent aglycone and diglycoside derivatives. This result indicates that glycosylation can be an effective approach for enhancing the pharmaceutical properties of different natural products, such as curcumin.