<![CDATA[Background: Curcumin has demonstrated antimycobacterial, immunomodulatory, formulation-enhancing, and hepatoprotective properties, yet evidence regarding its potential role in tuberculosis remains fragmented, particularly for drug-resistant disease. Objective: This scoping review aimed to map the extent, characteristics, mechanisms, formulations, safety findings, and translational stage of curcumin-based interventions for tuberculosis, with drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a prespecified subfocus. Methods: Following JBI methodology and PRISMA-ScR and PRISMA-S guidance, PubMed, Scopus, Europe PMC, and ScienceDirect were searched on 3 August 2026 without date or country restrictions. Eligible primary reports evaluated curcumin, curcuminoids, composition-characterized Curcuma longa extracts, synthetic analogues or complexes, formulations, or combinations in microbiological, cellular, animal, pharmacokinetic, safety, ex vivo, or human tuberculosis-related contexts. Screening and full-text eligibility were independently verified by a second reviewer, with discrepancies resolved by consensus. Results: Of 504 records identified, 153 duplicates were removed, 351 unique records were screened, 45 full texts were assessed, and 38 reports published between 2001 and 2026 were included. Direct antimycobacterial activity was reported in 24 studies, safety or toxicity in 23, host-directed mechanisms in 13, treatment combination or toxicity contexts in 12, formulation or delivery in nine, and drug-resistant M. tuberculosis in five. Synthetic derivatives or metal complexes represented the largest intervention category. Several nanoformulations improved intracellular delivery or activity, but no therapeutic clinical efficacy trial was identified. Conclusion: Curcumin-based interventions show biologically plausible preclinical potential, but evidence remains heterogeneous and insufficient for established therapeutic use in tuberculosis. Further standardized resistant-isolate testing, pharmacokinetic evaluation, animal validation, and early-phase clinical studies are needed before translation.]]>
