Used primarily in research for its potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Shows activity in cellular models related to oxidative stress and inflammation pathways. Investigated for possible applications in developing therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases and cancer due to its ability to modulate signaling pathways such as NF-κB and MAPK. Also utilized as a reference compound in structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies of curcumin analogs, helping to design more stable and bioavailable derivatives. Its conjugated system and keto-enol tautomerism make it useful in photophysical studies and as a model compound in synthetic chemistry for exploring reaction mechanisms involving enones and dienones.