A cerium–curcumin coordination material was prepared through direct interaction of Ce(III) with curcumin using cerium(III) sulfate as the metal precursor, providing a coordination-based system distinct from formulations in which curcumin and cerium oxide are incorporated as separate components. Preparations obtained at nominal Ce:CUR feed ratios of 1:1 and 1:2 were initially compared spectroscopically, with the 1:1 material subjected to detailed physicochemical and biological evaluation. UV–Vis spectroscopy showed a bathochromic shift of the principal curcumin band from approximately 415 to 420 nm, while FTIR and Raman analyses revealed changes in the β-diketone/C–O environment together with retention of sulfate-related vibrational features. XRD demonstrated a highly crystalline solid with an average apparent crystallite size of approximately 34 nm, whereas FESEM/EDS showed heterogeneous aggregated domains containing Ce and S. TGA indicated a hydrated material, with an initial mass loss of 7.81% below 193 °C, while magnetic susceptibility supported the persistence of paramagnetic Ce(III). A molar conductivity of 45.1 S cm2 mol−1 in acetone at 1.0 × 10−3 M indicated limited ionic dissociation. Collectively, the results support an oxygen-rich coordination environment involving O,O-bidentate curcumin, sulfate, and water, for which a tentative \([Ce(Cur)(SO₄)(H₂O)₃]_n\)-type CeO₈ model is chemically plausible. The Ce–CUR formulation inhibited Staphylococcus aureus and markedly accelerated murine wound repair, achieving complete macroscopic closure by day 10. Histological examination further demonstrated advanced re-epithelialization, reduced inflammation, dermal restoration, and regeneration of hair follicles and sebaceous glands.
