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Curcumin

Curcumin or Curcuma Longa is a constituent of the Indian curry spice turmeric. This active ingredient is a polyphenol with the molecular formula C21H20O6. It has long been used as a food additive, most commonly as the color agent that turns curry yellow. Turmeric, curcimin's host, can be found as a popular spice and medcinal agent in most South Asian countries. In ayurvedic medicine, it is thought to have many helpful properties, and in some Asian cultures it is taken as a supplement. Until recently, Curcumin's medical properteries were based mostly on anecdotal evidence, however there are several studies that have claimed that's its benefits go beyond heresay and folklore.

Over the last decade or so, curcumin has been studied mostly for its anticancer effects. This positive effect of the body is believed to be derived from its scavenging ability as well as cytoxicity toward cancer cells. Curcumin has been found to be a very powerful antioxidant (Sharma O, 1976). It is a quite potent scavenger of superoxide (Elizabeth K, 1990). In a study done by Dorai et. al curcumin supplement resulted in a marked decrease in cancer cell proliferation as well as a significant increase in the extent of apoptosis (2001). Kuttan et al reported symptomactic relief for patients with oral, breast, vulval, and skin cancers. Of the 62 subjects included in the study, only one did not experience relief from symptoms (Kuttan, 1987).

The antiinflammatory action of curcumin has also been studied to some extent. In one clinical trial curcim's effects on the patients suffering fromrheumetoid arthritis were quantified. The treatment demonstrated a significant improvement of several symptoms associated with the disease. Length of morning stiffness, walking time, and joint swelling were all improved (Deodhar, 1980). This antiinflammatory activity is mainly due to inhinibtion of arachidonic acid conversion into platelet phospholipids, and the reduction of luekotriene synthesis. It laso appears to block the synthesis of prostaglandins through inhibition of the COX enzyme (Kohli, 2004). These three main activities make curcumin very effective at slowing or preventing the engorging of tissues also known as inflammation.

Other studies have revealed that curcumin contains a large number of therepeutic effects including antinflammatory, antipasmodic, antimicrobial, anticancer, hepatoprotection and neuroprotection. These effects implicate curcumin in a number of activities including arthritis, cancer, HIV, and Alzheimer's disease (Kohli, 2004) (Ringman, 2000).

References

Deodhar S, Sethi R, Srimal R. Preliminary study on antiheumatic activity of curcumin (Diferuloyl methane). Indian J Med Res 1980; 17:632-43.

Elizabeth K, Rao M. Oxygen radical scavenging activity of curcumin. Int. J Pharm 1990; 58:237-40.

Kohli K, Ali J, Ansari M, Raheman Z. Curcumin: A natural antiinflammatory agent. Educational Forum. 2005; 37(3):141-147.

Kuttan R, Sudheeran P, Joseph C. Turmeric and curcumin as topical agents in cancer therapy. Tumori 1987; 73:29-31.

Ringman, John M.; Frautschy, Sally A.; Cole, Gregory M.; Masterman, Donna L.; Cummings, Jeffrey L. "A potential role of the curry spice curcumin in Alzheimer's disease." Current Alzheimer Research, 2000 2(2), 131-136.

Sharma O. Antioxidant activity of curcumin and related compounds. Biochem Pharmacol 1976;25:1811-5.

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