Curcuma - Curcuma longa

Turmeric - Curcuma longa, or Indian saffron (as the plant is sometimes called), is a spice obtained from the dried and ground ground of the long turmeric (Curcuma longa). The yellow spice comes from South Asia. In recent years, the benefits and negatives of this plant have been much discussed. Golden spice, according to the nickname, is attributed many positive effects on health. Whether it is a benefit for the immune system, pain relief or e.g. digestive aid. At the same time, however, caution is needed, as it could cause problems for some people.

In practice

Turmeric is a significant antioxidant and has been used for medicinal purposes for more than 4,000 years. As an anti-inflammatory component, it is used not only by traditional Chinese medicine, but also by Ayurveda. Both alternative methods also rely on turmeric in the treatment of wounds, digestive problems such as bloating and the promotion of appetite, but also contributes to the formation of bile, helps with liver problems. Turmeric dissolves blood clots, relieves toothache, back and rib pain. It also has a positive effect on the support and direction of energy flow.

Laboratory testing has shown other beneficial properties. In addition to the already mentioned anti-inflammatory and antioxidant abilities, this plant does not lack antibiotic, anticonvulsant, but also anti-tumor effects.

Other positive effects were found to reduce blood pressure, promote bile secretion, stimulate uterine activity, and reduce swelling and inflammation.

It is also used for stomach ulcers, viral and bacterial infections or atherosclerosis. Traditional and as yet unproven uses of turmeric also include consumption in eczema, carpal tunnel syndrome, liver cirrhosis, gallstones (but some sources are cautious), heart disease or AIDS.

Turmeric can be used for the following purposes

• Immunity support,
• wound healing,
• digestive problems (bloating, support of appetite),
• ulcerative colitis,
• Crohn's disease,
• support of bile production,
• help with liver problems,
• dissolution of blood clots,
• toothache
• back and ribs,
• allergy,
• Alzheimer disease,
• cardiovascular diseases,
• cancer.

Turmeric is used as an overall stimulant . Ayurveda evaluates it as mildly overheating, with calming effects, with the ability to supply tissue nutrition and support circulation in a physical and mental sense.

Characteristics of turmeric

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is also referred to as Indian saffron or golden pepper, after English turmeric. It is a tall plant that grows mainly in South Asia and Central America.

The yellow powder, as we know it from spice bags, is made by grinding the dried subsoil of the plant. The typical yellow color inspired some cultures to use it as a dye. Usually we include turmeric in the kitchen as part of curry products.
Turmeric is thus used mainly in Indian cuisine, to which it adds taste, color and aroma.
Turmeric as an antioxidant contributes to the fight against free radicals that damage cell membranes and are able to cause cell death.

Turmeric ingredients

Ground groundnut as a natural drug can be found under the name Curcuma longa rhizoma. The extracted substance consists of curcumin, i.e. derivatives of the basic organic compound 1,7-bis (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) hepta-1,6-diene-3,5-dione in various compositions. In addition, there are smaller amounts of oils and resins in the turmeric ground.

Curcumin

Of the turmeric, the main active ingredient is the flavonoid curcumin, which can benefit human health. But it is worse absorbed. You can find it in food as E100, but it also appears under the names diferuloylmethane, turmeric yellow, turmer's yellow,
It has been found that it could contribute to the improvement of conditions in diseases such as allergies, but also ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular diseases or even cancer.

Because curcumin is approximately 3% in turmeric (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17044766), it is less bioavailable. For health effects, it is necessary to use isolated curcumin and thus ensure that it enters the bloodstream from the digestive system. However, the originally used black pepper extract has various negatives, so the old method of use is now being replaced by more modern methods of processing curcumin, where better absorption is achieved without the undesirable effects of black pepper extract. Curcumin is well soluble in fats, so it makes sense to consume it with fat.

Curcumin blocks NF-kB (nuclear factor kappa B), a group of factors that affect such important genes for immunity, cell growth and cell death, the inflammatory response and other processes. NF-κB is thought to be of great importance in many chronic diseases.
Activation of Transcription Factor NF-κB Is Suppressed by Curcumin (Diferuloylmethane), Sanjaya Singh and Bharat B. Aggarwal (§); Journal of Biological Chemistry, 1995 The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Importantly, curcumin is a bioactive substance that fights inflammation at the molecular level. And the studies also compared the effectiveness with anti-inflammatory drugs, which resulted in curcumin very well. For example, in chronic inflammation of the anterior uveitis (affects the eyes).
Safety and anti-inflammatory activity of curcumin: a component of tumeric (Curcuma longa), Chainani-Wu N1., J Altern Complement Med. 2003 Feb; 9 (1): 161-8.
Efficacy of curcumin in the management of chronic anterior uveitis., Lal B1, Kapoor AK, Asthana OP, Agrawal PK, Prasad R, Kumar P, Srimal RC., Phytother Res. 1999 Jun; 13 (4): 318-22.

Equally important are other curcuminoids such as Demethoxycurcumin and Bisdemethoxicurcumin, which have a similar effect to curcumin.

Health benefits of turmeric

Based on a number of different studies, turmeric has been found to have a relatively beneficial effect on the body. Curcumin excels not only in its antioxidant effects, but also in its anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. It can lower cholesterol.

It is safe in lower doses. Higher doses of curcumin can cause health complications. Because it promotes bile secretion, it can have a negative effect on gallstones and major liver disorders. People with blood clotting problems should also be careful. Caution is also recommended for women who have difficulty conceiving or during pregnancy itself. Turmeric can cause contractions. It is stated that curcumin should probably be safe in small doses.
Researchers at Monash University have concluded that a gram of curcumin per day is good for health. (Science Daily.com Spice up your memory: Just one gram of turmeric a day could boost memory)

In any case, if you are taking medication, during pregnancy and the like, it is necessary to consult the attending physician when taking higher doses (eg in the form of a food supplement).

Anti - inflammatory turmeric

One of the main uses of turmeric is its anti-inflammatory effect. Low-grade chronic inflammation is thought to be important in virtually every chronic Western disease such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, and various degenerative conditions. For this reason, everything that could solve chronic inflammation, act preventively or treat them is important. And turmeric could be such a product.
Inflammation and cancer, Coussens LM1, Werb Z., Nature. 2002 Dec 19-26; 420 (6917): 860-7.

Arthritis

The American Arthritis Foundation reports several studies that show that turmeric reduces inflammation.

The anti-inflammatory ability of turmeric can reduce the pain felt in the joints of people with arthritis. In these cases, the foundation reports taking capsules of 400-600 mg up to three times a day, which can bring relief from inflammation.
For example, similarity to Ibuprofen in people who had knee arthritis has been studied. In this study, people consumed 800 mg of turmeric capsules daily.

Turmeric can help patients with osteoarthritis because it reduces inflammation. It was to reduce inflammation that this plant was used by healers in India thousands of years ago.

Liver function

Turmeric is also in the spotlight with regard to its antioxidant abilities. Researchers believe that these effects are so strong that curcumin can, due to its chemical structure, neutralize free radicals and thus stop liver damage from harmful toxins. This could be good news for people who are taking strong medications for diabetes or other medical conditions in which liver damage plays a role in long-term use.
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin. Menon VP1, Sudheer AR., Adv Exp Med Biol. 2007; 595: 105-25.

Curcumin also increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes. This is how he fights free radicals. It blocks them directly, and then stimulates the body's own antioxidant mechanisms.
Curcumin induces glutathione biosynthesis and inhibits NF-kappaB activation and interleukin-8 release in alveolar epithelial cells: mechanism of free radical scavenging activity. Biswas SK1, McClure D, Jimenez LA, Megson IL, Rahman I., Antioxid Redox Signal. 2005 Jan-Feb; 7 (1-2): 32-41.

Turmeric and cancer

Cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth. Curcumin looks like a promising remedy that could help fight cancer. Previous animal studies suggest that curcumin has protective and therapeutic effects against prostate, pancreatic, breast, colon or skin cancer, as well as multiple myeloma. Although further studies directly with human testing would be needed to address the official recommendation of turmeric, it appears that curcumin has great potential to manage the body's support for various cancers.
It is thought that the preventive effects may be that turmeric is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from damage.
Researchers also believe that curcumin may affect the growth, development and spread of cancer at the molecular level.
Curcumin and cancer: an “old-age” disease with an “age-old” solution, Anand P1, Sundaram C, Jhurani S, Kunnumakkara AB, Aggarwal BB., Cancer Lett. 2008 Aug 18; 267 (1): 133-64. doi: 10.1016 / j.canlet.2008.03.025. Epub 2008 May 6.

Further studies have shown that curcumin can reduce the growth of new blood vessels in tumors, stop metastasis, and ultimately contribute to cancer cell death.
Curcumin and Cancer Cells: How Many Ways Can Curry Kill Tumor Cells Selectively? Jayaraj Ravindran, Sahdeo Prasad, and Bharat B. Aggarwalcorresponding author, AAPS J. 2009 Sep; 11 (3): 495–510. Published online 2009 Jul 10. doi: 10.1208 / s12248-009-9128-x

Digestive system

Turmeric in food not only benefits the taste, but also promotes digestion. Thanks to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it can contribute to healthy digestion.

This fact has long been used in Ayurvedic medicine. Western medicine is now also investigating how turmeric can help with inflammation of the intestines and support digestion. The effect of turmeric on the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome is also investigated.

However, this does not mean that turmeric can be consumed in any amount. The same substances in turmeric, which contribute to good digestion, can cause irritation when consumed in large quantities. Therefore, some study participants had to stop using turmeric because it had a negative effect on digestion. Turmeric stimulates the stomach to produce more stomach acid. It is this fact that can help some and harm others. Therefore, it is necessary to be careful about consuming more turmeric.

The authors of a US American study published in 2014 at the US National Library of Medicine concluded that curcumin has great potential for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. The particular efficacy of curcumin has been demonstrated in the treatment of inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract as in the inflammation of the gastric mucosa. Efficacy also includes the treatment of liver fibrosis. The original problem of low bioavailability and distribution in the body is already being solved. Therefore, curcumin is considered to be one of the most promising drugs for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases and other diseases such as some tumors.
Efficacy of turmeric in the treatment of digestive disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol, Kednapa Thavorn, Muhammad M Mamdani, Sharon E Straus, Syst Rev. 2014; 3: 71., 10.1186 / 2046-4053-3-71

Because curcumin stimulates bile production in the gallbladder, it can help with digestion. The German Kommission E, a group of experts that assesses and determines the safety of herbs for prescription, supports turmeric for the treatment of various digestive problems. These may be indigestion, bloating, gas and dyspepsia. It may also benefit patients with inflammatory conditions such as ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease of the digestive tract in which symptoms tend to come and go. Turmeric can help people with ulcerative colitis stay asymptomatic. In one double-blind, placebo-controlled study, people whose ulcerative colitis produced temporary relief received either curcumin or placebo with conventional therapy for 6 months. Those taking curcumin had a much lower return on symptoms than those taking placebo.

Turmeric in connection with brain activity

Neurons have been found to be able to make new connections, but in certain areas of the brain they can also multiply and increase in number. The Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which functions in the brain, plays an important role.
Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor, DEVIN K. BINDER, HELEN E. SCHARFMAN, Growth Factors. 2004 Sep; 22 (3): 123–131.
doi: 10.1080 / 08977190410001723308

Many common brain disorders are associated with a decrease in the level of this hormone. Examples include depression and Alzheimer's disease. It has been found that curcumin can increase the level of BDNF in the brain and fight various degenerative processes in this organ.
Curcumin reverses the effects of chronic stress on behavior, the HPA axis, BDNF expression and phosphorylation of CREB
lYingXu, BaoshanKu, LuTie, HaiyanYao, WengaoJiang, XingMa, XuejunLi, Sciencedirect.com

Which could slow down or reverse many brain diseases and age-related decline in brain function.
Curcumin Enhances Neurogenesis and Cognition in Aged Rats: Implications for Transcriptional Interactions Related to Growth and Synaptic Plasticity
Suzhen Dong, Qingwen Zeng, E. Siobhan Mitchell, Jin Xiu, Yale Duan, Chunxia Li, Jyoti K. Tiwari, Yinghe Hu, Xiaohua Cao, Zheng Zhao, 2012, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone. 0031211

Turmeric and Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the world and a major cause of dementia. Because there is no good cure for this disease, it is important to fight it first.
Inflammation and oxidative damage are known to play an important role in Alzheimer's disease, and curcumin acts against both of these factors.
One of the main features of Alzheimer's disease is the formation of a protein complex called amyloid plaques. Studies show that curcumin can help remove these plaques.
Curcuminoids enhance amyloid-beta uptake by macrophages of Alzheimer's disease patients.Zhang L1, Fiala M, Cashman J, Sayre J, Espinosa A, Mahanian M, Zaghi J, Badmaev V, Graves MC, Bernard G, Rosenthal M., J Alzheimers Dis . 2006 Sep; 10 (1): 1-7.

However, further investigation and confirmation as to whether curcumin can actually slow or reverse the development of Alzheimer's disease would still be needed.

The effect of turmeric on the blood system

Turmeric has cleansing properties that also promote bleeding, although it is not yet clear why this is the case. Cholesterol levels are likely to be lowered as turmeric works in the blood.

Diabetes and turmeric

In 2012, S. Chuengsamarn and his team published a study in patients with prediabetes. Over the next 9 months, 19 placebo patients changed to type 2 diabetes mellitus. In contrast, the group receiving 250 mg curcuminide capsules at doses of 3 capsules twice daily did not worsen. The study involved 240 patients and was completed by 201 patients.
Curcumin Extract for Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes, Somlak Chuengsamarn, MD, Suthee Rattanamongkolgul, MD, Rataya Luechapudiporn, PHD, Chada Phisalaphong, PHD and Siwanon Jirawatnotai, PHD; Corresponding author: Somlak Chuengsamarn, Diabetes Care 2012 Nov; 35 (11): 2121-2127.

Heart activity, heart disease

Studies suggest that turmeric can help prevent atherosclerosis, an increase in plaques that can block arteries and cause heart attacks or strokes. In animal studies, turmeric extract caused a decrease in cholesterol levels.
Heart disease is very complicated and there are many things involved. Curcumin reduces the inflammation and oxidation that are involved in heart disease.

The main advantage of curcumin when it comes to heart disease is thought to be an improvement in endothelial function, which is the lining of blood vessels. Endothelial dysfunction is a major cause of heart disease. The endothelium is unable to regulate blood pressure, blood clotting and various other factors.

Some studies suggest that curcumin could improve endothelial function. In one study, 121 patients underwent coronary artery bypass surgery. Testers consumed a random selection of placebo or 4 grams of curcumin daily, several days before and after surgery. The curcumin group had a 65% reduced risk of heart attack.
Effects of curcuminoids on frequency of acute myocardial infarction after coronary artery bypass grafting, Wongcharoen W1, Jai-Aue S, Phrommintikul A, Nawarawong W, Woragidpoonpol S, Tepsuwan T, Sukonthasarn A, Apaijai N, Chattipakorn N., Am Jiol. 2012 Jul 1; 110 (1): 40-4. doi: 10.1016 / j.amjcard.2012.02.043. Epub 2012 Apr 3.

Other effects of turmeric

Bacterial and viral infections

Animal studies suggest that turmeric can kill bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. The extensive antiviral effects of curcumin against various viral pathogens make it possible to identify this compound as a candidate for an antiviral agent in the development of new antivirals from natural sources against susceptible viruses. However, further research is needed.
A Review on Antibacterial, Antiviral, and Antifungal Activity of Curcumin, Soheil Zorofchian Moghadamtousi, 1 Habsah Abdul Kadir, 1 Pouya Hassandarvish, 2 Hassan Tajik, 3 Sazaly Abubakar, 2and Keivan Zandi, Biomed Res Int. 2014; 2014: 186864.

Researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center believe that turmeric could alleviate premenstrual symptoms. At least as suggested by data from several studies, further investigation would be needed.

Summary of knowledge about turmeric

Turmeric can help with digestive problems, with inflammation. However, its antioxidant properties are also important.

The University of Maryland Medical Center considers the amount of turmeric in food safe and a small amount added to food should not be a problem. Despite many positive effects, caution is needed when looking for turmeric. Due to some of the side effects, it is necessary to consult a doctor first if possible. These are mainly people with diabetes, gallstones, people with prescription drugs. However, pregnant or breast-feeding women should also be careful (with regard to bleeding effects).