Curcumin, the yellow, primary bioactive component of turmeric, has recently received attention from chemists due its wide range of potential biological applications as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic agent. The electrochemical behaviour of curcumin at a platinum electrode has been studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The oxidation of curcumin is an irreversible process that proceeds in two steps in 0.1 M (C4H9)(4)NClO4 in acetonitrile. The process of oxidation and its kinetics have been investigated. The rate constant, electron transfer coefficient and diffusion coefficients for the electrochemical oxidation of curcumin were determined. A mechanism for the oxidation of curcumin is proposed. The data obtained are consistent with the current literature and suggest that voltammetric studies on mechanically transferred solids may be a convenient method for elucidating the electrochemical oxidation mechanisms of compounds in anhydrous media. Theoretical calculations regarding the optimization of curcumin, electronic properties like highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) were calculated using with HyperChem software by AM1 semi-empirical method. The properties of curcumin in a homogeneous environment were investigated using spectroscopic techniques and thermogravimetric analysis. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.