Turmeric: Anti-inflammatory Herb & More
Turmeric (Curcuma
longa) is a bright yellow,
ancient spice and a traditional remedy that has been used as a medicine,
condiment and flavoring based on records dating back to 600 BCE.
The rhizome (underground stem) is the part of the plant used, and its
key constituents include curcumin and essential oils (p-tolymethylcarbinol).
Its health value is essentially due to its curcumin content. The curcumin inhibits 5-lipo-oxygenase (LOX)
and cyclo-oxygenase (COX), resulting in a healthy inflammatory response.[1] [2] [3]
Joint Function & Healthy
Inflammatory Response
In research
on people with suboptimal joint function, curcumin was found to be useful for
promoting a healthy inflammatory response, while promoting comfort and flexibility.[4] In a double-blind study, curcumin was found
to be superior to a placebo or other study compounds supporting a healthy
post-surgical inflammatory response.[5]
Antioxidant & Hepatoprotective
Activity
Curcumin
also exhibits strong antioxidant activity[6],
enhances cellular resistance to oxidative damage[7],
and provides antioxidant protection against DNA damage.[8]
Curcumin also enhances the body's natural antioxidant glutathione levels; which
in turn aids the liver in detoxification.[9] Turmeric has also been found to have
hepatoprotective (i.e., liver-protective) properties against a variety of
liver-toxic chemicals.[10] [11] [12] [13] [14]
Antimutgenic Effects
Animal
research and human cell culture studies have demonstrated that curcumin has an
anti-mutagenic effects[15],
and anti-angiogenic effects (reduced the growth of new blood vessels that would
otherwise nourish the growth of mutagenic cells)[16],
as well as reducing the activity of several common mutagens.[17] [18] [19] [20] This activity is consistent with COX-2 inhibition.
Antimicrobial & Cardiovascular
Support
Turmeric
extract and curcumin has also reduced the growth of a variety of bacteria,
parasites, and pathogenic fungi [21] [22] [23];
and have provided a protective effect on the cardiovascular system including
the promotion of healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels within normal
ranges, while decreasing susceptibility of low density lipoprotein (LDL) to lipid peroxidation[24],
and reducing platelet aggregation.[25]
Gastrointestinal Support
Constituents
of turmeric exert several protective effects on the gastrointestinal tract. A
salt of curcumin was found to promote intestinal comfort, and
p-tolymethylcarbinol, a turmeric component, was found capable of increasing
gastrin, secretin, bicarbonate, and pancreatic enzyme secretion.[26]
In addition, a double-blind trial has found turmeric helpful for people with
indigestion,[27]
and effective in animal research in promoting healthy digestive function.[28]
References
[1] Chandra D, Gupta S. Anti-inflammatory and
anti-arthritic activity of volatile oil of Curcuma longa (Haldi). Ind J Med Res 1972;
60:138-142.
[2] Arora
R, Basu N, Kapoor V, et al. Anti-inflammatory studies on Curcuma longa (turmeric). Ind J
Med Res 1971;59:1289-1295.
[3] Mukhopadhyay A, Basu N,
Ghatak N, et al. Anti-inflammatory and
irritant activities of curcumin analogues in rats. Agents Actions 1982;
12:508-515.
[4] Deodhar SD, Sethi R, Srimal RC. Preliminary studies on
antirheumatic activity of curcumin (diferuloyl methane). Ind J Med
Res 1980; 71:632-4.
[5] Satoskar RR, Shah SJ, Shenoy SG. Evaluation
of anti-inflammatory property of curcumin (diferuloyl methane) in patients with
postoperative inflammation. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther Toxicol 1986;
24:651-4.
[6] Toda S, Miyase T, Arich H, et al.
Natural antioxidants. Antioxidative compounds isolated from rhizome of Curcuma
longa L. Chem Pharmacol Bull 1985;33:1725-1728.
[7] Mortellini R,
Foresti R, Bassi R, Green CJ. Curcumin,
an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, induces heme oxygenase-1 and
protects endothelial cells against oxidative stress. Free Radic Biol Med
2000;28:1303-1312.
[8] Garcea G, Jones DJ, Singh R, et al. Detection of
curcumin and its metabolites in hepatic tissue and portal blood of patients
following oral administration. Br J Cancer. 2004;90(5):1011-1015.
[9] Pizorrno JE, Murray MT. Textbook of Natural Medicine, 2nd Ed. London: Churchill
Livingstone; 1999;689-693.
[10] Deshpande UR, Gadre SG, Raste AS, et al. Protective effect of turmeric (Curcuma longa
L.) extract on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage in rats. Indian J Exp Biol
1998;36:573-577.
[11] Park E J, Jeon CH, Ko
G, et al. Protective effect of curcumin
in rat liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride. J Pharm Pharmacol
2000;52:437-440.
[12] Kiso Y, Suzuki Y,
Watanabe N, et al. Antihepatotoxic
principles of Curcuma longa rhizomes. Planta Med 1983;49:185-187.
[13] Donatus IA, Sardjoko, Vermeulen NP. Cytotoxic and
cytoprotective activities of curcumin. Effects on paracetamol-induced
cytotoxicity, lipid peroxidation and glutathione depletion in rat hepatocytes.
Biochem Pharmacol 1990;39:1869-1875.
[14] Soni KB, Rajan A, Kuttan R. Reversal of aflatoxin
induced liver damage by turmeric and curcumin. Cancer Lett 1992;66:115-121.
[15] Kawamori T, Lubet R, Steele VE, et al. Chemopreventative
effect of curcumin, a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory agent, during the
promotion/progression stages of colon cancer. Cancer Res 1999;59:597-601.
[16]
Thaloor D, Singh AK, Sidhu GS, et al. Inhibition of angiogenic differentiation of human umbilical
vein endothelial cells by curcumin. Cell Growth Differ 1998;9:305-312.
[17] Mehta RG, Moon RC. Characterization of effective
chemopreventive agents in mammary gland in vitro using and initiation-promotion
protocol. Anticancer Res 1991; 11:593-596.
[18] Soudamini NK, Kuttan R. Inhibition of chemical
carcinogenesis by curcumin. J Ethnopharmacol 1989;27:227-233.
[19] Azuine M, Bhide S. Chemopreventive effect of
turmeric against stomach and skin tumors induced by chemical carcinogens in
Swiss mice. Nutr Cancer 1992; 17:77-83.
[20] Boone CW, Steele VE, Kelloff GJ. Screening of chemopreventive
(anticarcinogenic) compounds in rodents. Mut Res 1992; 267:251-255.
[21] Allen PC, Danforth HD, Augustine
PC. Dietary modulation of avian coccidiosis. Int J Parasitol 1998;
28:1131-1140.
[22] Apisariyakul A, Vanittanakom N, Buddhasukh D.
Antifungal activity of turmeric oil extracted from Curcuma longa
(Zingiberaceae). J Ethnopharmacol 1995; 49:163-169.
[23] Rasmussen HB, Christensen SB, Kvist LP, Karazami A.
A simple and efficient separation of the curcumins, the antiprotozoal
constituents of Curcuma longa. Planta Med 2000; 66:396-398.
[24] Ramirez-Tortosa MC,
Mesa MD, Aguilera MC, et al. Oral
administration of a turmeric extract inhibits LDL oxidation and has
hypocholesterolemic effects in rabbits with experimental atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis 1999; 147:371-378.
[25] Srivastava R, Puri V, Srimal RC, Dhawan BN. Effect
of curcumin on platelet aggregation and vascular prostacyclin synthesis.
Arzneim Forsch 1986; 36:715-717.
[26] Ammon HPT, Wahl MA. Pharmacology of Cucuma longa. Planta Medica 1991;57:1-7.
[27] Thamlikitkul V, Bunyapraphathara N,
Dechatiwongse T, et al. Randomized double-blind study of Curcuma domestica Val for dyspepsia. J Med Assoc Thai 1989;
72:613-20.
[28] Rafatulla S, Tariq M,
Alyahya MA, et al. Evaluation of
turmeric (Curcuma longa) for gastric and duodenal antiulcer activity in rats. J
Ethnopharmacol 1990; 29:25-34.