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Complementary and Alternative Medicine
March 28, 2009

Curry in a Hurry – The Health Benefits of Turmeric

By Sajid Surve, DO | 5 Comments | Share | Print | Email | Tweet | Like | 1+

Alternative Medicine CategoryOver the past few decades, the emergence of India as an international superpower has been slow and steady. In the United States, this has translated into a simmering public awareness of Indian culture and an ever-increasing importation of Indian products, whether it be Bollywood movies or Indian cuisine. One of the main staples of Indian cooking, turmeric, has been getting a lot of press recently not for its flavoring prowess, but rather for its health benefits. Presented here is some of the current research regarding this amazing yellow spice.

Antioxidant

SpicesThe active ingredient in turmeric is called curcumin. Antioxidant and free radical scavenging capacity of curcumin is on par with vitamin C and E, and several animal studies have demonstrated the ability to prevent oxidative damage to heart cells, blood vessels, kidney cells, liver cells, and lipid degradation. Rats pre-treated with curcumin fared better when strokes and heart attacks were induced.

Antibiotic

An oil produced from the turmeric plant has been studied as an antimicrobial, and was shown to be effective in killing E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staph aureus, and several Bacillus strains. Other culture studies have also suggested that turmeric may work as an antifungal and antiviral agent.

Wound Healing

Turmeric has long been considered a home remedy in India for surface wounds. Scientific research into the subject has surprisingly elucidated this practice. Wounds treated with curcumin had faster healing times, showed increased collagen synthesis, higher levels of transformation growth factor, and increased neovascularization. Studies looking at the ingestion of turmeric for treatment of gastric ulcers also showed preserved epithelial cells and decreased ulcer recovery times. Some have suggested that curcumin may be a helpful pre-treatment for patients who require exposure to radiation for treatment of cancers, to prevent skin damage.

Cancer Prevention

Curcumin has been shown to induce apoptosis of certain cancer cell lines in vitro including prostate and breast cancer. Animal models have demonstrated a protective effect of curcumin for a wide range of cancers including colorectal, stomach, skin, liver, oral, and breast. Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1-beta have also been shown to become downregulated in the presence of curcumin.

Angiogenesis Regulation

The process of angiogenesis is responsible for the creation of new blood vessels. Under physiologic conditions, this process is necessary for growth, repair, and embryonic development. When left unchecked, angiogenesis can go awry causing conditions like diabetic retinopathy, rheumatoid arthritis, hemangiomas, and also may be responsible for the metastasis of tumors to distant sites. Curcumin seems to help regulate the process of angiogenesis, and prevent damage in animal models. This mechanism is not clearly understood yet, but further studies are currently underway.

As is the case with all dietary intake, moderation is the key. While no recommended daily allowance has been established for turmeric intake, the general consensus is that beneficial properties are conferred at doses ranging from 1-2 grams per day. Exceeding that range could lead to complications and side effects. Also, how curcumin interacts with exogenous substances like prescription medications is not clear, so caution is advised for higher intake. Regardless, the new found surge of popularity for Indian cuisine and culture has introduced Western civilization to turmeric, and the spice has certainly earned its public scrutiny as a possible superfood.

References

Mann, C., Neal, C., Garcea, G., Manson, M., Dennison, A., & Berry, D. (2009). Phytochemicals as potential chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents in hepatocarcinogenesis European Journal of Cancer Prevention, 18 (1), 13-25 DOI: 10.1097/CEJ.0b013e3282f0c090

Sajid Surve, DO

Dr. Surve is a physiatrist, acupuncturist, and osteopath who specializes in musculoskeletal medicine and integrative medicine.

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5 Responses

  1. Mswaida says:
    April 26, 2009 at 11:00 am

    can you tell me where is the turmaric curing or releiving noises of tinnitus.
    Please

    Mike

    Reply
  2. Judith says:
    September 16, 2009 at 12:57 pm

    I have also done some research on tumeric because of a pattern of family illness, Alzheimer’s, affecting both my mother and my brother. Apparently India has the lowest occurence of Alzheimer’s and they associtate that with tumeric. Also, the THC in marijuana is supposed to be protective of the brain in some way.

    I would be interested to know if your research has shown any correlation with tumeric and marijuana with Alzheimer’s.

    Reply
  1. PublicHealthBugle.com » Readers’ Recommended says:
    April 6, 2009 at 9:48 pm

    [...] The Health Benefits of Turmeric (sourve: Brain [...]

    Reply
  2. Advantages of Turmeric for Skin Plus More | Zeal For Life Drink says:
    September 15, 2011 at 3:07 pm

    [...] In India, you may’t look at a curry without turmeric within it. However, it’s only now t…w on, scientists are usually substantiating this fact with research to prove it.  [...]

    Reply
  3. Turmeric Extract – 3 Important Health Benefits Of Turmeric | Zeal for Life Wellness Drink says:
    September 30, 2011 at 7:51 am

    [...] What are you waiting for, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain…especially your health. If you haven't heard about the benefits of turmeric extract read on. This well-known and harmles…oxidants, it's also an anti-inflammatory that can fight a host of diseases, including cancer and [...]

    Reply

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