Abstract: Curcumin is a yellow polyphenol isolated from the rhizome of Curcuma longa L., has a wide range of pharmacological activities including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant. However, its poor stability, poor water solubility and low bioavailability seriously limit the therapeutic applications of curcumin. Nanogels have demonstrated promising potential for improving the solubility, biocompatibility, stability, targeting and therapeutic efficacy of curcumin. In this paper, the preparation of curcumin nanogels and their applications in cancer therapy, wound healing, inflammation treatment and ophthalmic delivery are reviewed to provide a literature reference for the further clinical research and application development of curcumin.