#Healthpromoting #properties #turmeric
TURMERIC (TURMERIC, TURMERIC, curcuma LONGA LINN.) IS A PERSONAL PLANT WHOSE Rhizome IS WIDELY KNOWN AND USED AS A SPICE IN ORIENTAL CUISINE AND AS A DYE IN THE FOOD AND TEXTILE INDUSTRY. CURCUMA LONGA BELONGS TO THE GINGER FAMILY (ZINGIBERACEAE), AND THE MAIN SUBSTANCE PRESENT IN THE RHIZE IS CURCUMIN, A CURCUMINOID RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INTENSIVE YELLOW COLOR OF THE RHIZE AND FOR NUMEROUS POSTULATED MEDICINAL PROPERTIES. TURMERIC RHIZE ALSO INCLUDES: DEMETOXY CURCUMIN AND BISDEMETOXY CURCUMIN, ESSENTIAL OILS, SUGARS, PROTEINS AND RESINS.
TURMERIC AND joints, ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECT
Typical examples of inflammatory diseases are: allergies, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and some digestive system diseases. RA, also known as rheumatoid arthritis, affects approximately 0.5-1.5% of the Polish, mainly older, population. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or glucosamine are most often used in therapy. In numerous randomized clinical trials in patients with osteoarthritis, the therapeutic value of curcumin supplementation was analyzed, the effectiveness of which was compared with placebo, with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, celecoxib and diclofenac, and with standard treatment of this condition. The effect of curcumin was also compared with chondroitin therapy, glucosamine and placebo. The therapies used raw extracts from the rhizomes of Curcuma domestica and Curcuma longa, as well as isolated curcuminoids in combination with Boswellia serrata and the addition of piperine, increasing their bioavailability. Outcome assessments included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC), Karnofsky Index, visual analog scale, mobility test, and a variety of physical assessments. Four studies determined the level of inflammatory cytokines present, and two studies determined markers of oxidative stress in the study patients. Studies in which extracts from the rhizome of turmeric and isolated curcuminoids were administered showed positive results in reducing pain sensitivity during movement, the number of petechiae and overall joint sensitivity. An increase in treatment effectiveness was also observed by reducing mobility limitations in patients treated with glucosamines combined with turmeric extract, compared to the group taking only glucosamines. Glucosamine therapy has also been used in combination with curcuminoids. These studies demonstrated the ability to inhibit the synthesis of COX-2 in the synovial fluid in patients with arthritis after the use of turmeric extracts.
TURMERIC AND Osteoarthritis
Curcumin has also been used in studies in patients with osteoarthritis, an inflammatory disease that contributes to the loss of chondrocytes, causing a thinning layer of cartilage in diseased joints. Patients observed a reduction in pain, improvement in physical fitness and quality of life after taking curcumin, as well as the possibility of reducing the dose of painkillers and side effects experienced during treatment. In vitro studies have shown that curcumin can prevent chondrocyte apoptosis, inhibit the release of proteoglycans and metal metalloproteases, and the expression of cyclooxygenase, prostaglandin E-2 and inflammatory cytokines in chondrocytes. Curcumin is therefore a potential compound for the treatment of osteoarthritis, but this requires further clinical trials.
TURMERIC AND ALZHEIMER
Curcumin is also credited with neuroprotective effects, including: in the context of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) – the most common form of dementia, whose therapy was mainly based on symptomatic treatment. In modern therapies, the choice is still limited, and available drugs have low effectiveness, many side effects and high costs of therapy. Scientific research results have shown that high LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and low HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels may be a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, the antioxidant properties of curcumin and its effect on lowering cholesterol levels may be of significant preventive importance.
TURMERIC AND PARKINSON’S DISEASE
The neuroprotective effect of curcuminoids, i.e. active polyphenols of the rhizome of Curcuma longa (L.), on dopaminergic neurodegeneration involving inflammation in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) model of Parkinson’s disease (PD) was also investigated. Studies in mice using curcuminoids showed that oral administration of these compounds significantly prevented the MPTP-mediated reduction in dopamine and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity. A reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines and nitrites was observed in the striatum of MPTP mice, and a significant improvement in motor performance and overall behavioral activity. These results point to curcuminoids as a potential adjunct in the prevention and treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
TURMERIC AND skin CONDITION
Many research results from recent years confirm that curcumin can modulate phenomena related to inflammatory, proliferative and infectious skin diseases, which allows us to conclude that curcumin can be used in the treatment of skin diseases such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, iatrogenic dermatitis and in the treatment of wounds. These are promising studies obtained through molecular docking analysis (in silico), regarding the mode and method of curcumin binding, as well as interactions with selected enzymatic targets, requiring confirmation in clinical applications.
TURMERIC AND THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Due to its ability to be administered orally, curcumin has been extensively studied in various gastrointestinal aspects. Its anti-inflammatory properties have been analyzed in bacterial stomach infections and inflammatory diseases. Curcumin has been proven to be effective in many gastrointestinal diseases, e.g. irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), indigestion, stomach ulcers, pancreatitis, and ulcerative colitis. In a pilot study of patients diagnosed with IBS, curcumin extract was used and a reduction in symptoms was observed in 60% of patients. In another study (phase II clinical trial), in patients with indigestion and peptic ulcer, gradual improvement was also observed in 76% of cases, depending on the severity of the disease, after treatment with curcumin. The action of curcumin against gastric ulcers occurs by inhibiting the secretion of gastric acid, reducing the acidity of gastric juice, and inhibiting the activity of pepsin.
The results of in vitro and in vivo studies indicated the high effectiveness of curcumin in the treatment of general damage caused by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which encourages its use as an alternative therapy against H. Pylori.
Curcumin also has a beneficial effect on liver function. It has choleretic and cholagogenic effects. It protects liver cells in cases of damage to this organ caused by various hepatotoxic factors. The results of the conducted research allow us to conclude that curcumin may have therapeutic potential in protecting against chronic liver damage caused, for example, by alcohol. These protective properties are related to its antioxidant effects. Curcumin has also been suggested to have a hepatoprotective effect against liver damage caused by aflatoxin B, a substance with confirmed hepatotoxic effects. It has also been shown to be effective against cholangitis and may be a promising therapeutic approach for biliary obstruction (cholangiopathy).
To sum up, scientific research on the use of curcumin has confirmed its pharmacological properties and various health-promoting biological effects, thanks to which it is increasingly used as an ingredient of functional foods and dietary supplements, showing promising preventive and therapeutic effectiveness.
Ph.D. n. farm Katarzyna Paradowska
Medical University of Warsaw, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Physical Pharmacy and Bioanalysis, Department of Physical Chemistry
