The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of curcumin (Cur) on palmitic acid (PA)-induced C2C12 cell injury and its mechanism.By establishing a cell model of PA-induced injury,this study examined the effects of Cur on cell viability and glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) expression,and assessed the effects of Cur on lipid metabolism using oil red O staining and a triglyceride test kit.The effect of Cur on the metabolic profile of the injured cell model was explored by metabolomics analysis,and its mechanism of action was verified.The results showed that Cur effectively increased C2C12 cell viability,increased GLUT4 expression levels,and decreased lipid accumulation in cells.Metabolomics and Western blot analysis revealed that Cur may regulate lipid metabolism in C2C12 cells through the peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor α (PPARα)/acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1)/ carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1) pathway,thus exerting a protective effect.The results provide a theoretical basis for the potential application of curcumin in the treatment of metabolic diseases.