Curcumin

Curcumin is a yellow colored polyphenol, and a main component in turmeric. It is also found in ginger. Curcumin can act like the hormone estrogen.  Avoid with hormone sensitive conditions.  Turmeric belongs to the curcuma species group, of which there are over 100 specific species, all belonging to the Zingiberaceae family.

Links to Plants Containing Curcumin

Ginger

RESEARCH

The listings of research below represent a compilation of scientific articles found on the topic, with a very brief overview description of each article/study.  This compilation of research articles does not necessarily imply that there are adequate results to demonstrate safe and/or effective human use of any herb listed.

GENERAL

• This mega review discussed the many therapeutic actions studied about tumeric and its curcumin constituent including:  pro-inflammatory diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, uveitis, ulcerative proctitis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel disease, tropical pancreatitis, peptic ulcer, gastric ulcer, idiopathic orbital inflammatory pseudotumor, oral lichen planus, gastric inflammation, vitiligo, psoriasis, acute coronary syndrome, atherosclerosis, diabetes, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic microangiopathy, lupus nephritis, renal conditions, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, β-thalassemia, biliary dyskinesia, Dejerine-Sottas disease, cholecystitis, and chronic bacterial prostatitis. Curcumin has also shown protection against hepatic conditions, chronic arsenic exposure, and alcohol intoxication. From:  Gupta, S. C., Patchva, S., & Aggarwal, B. B. (2013). Therapeutic roles of curcumin: lessons learned from clinical trials. The AAPS journal, 15(1), 195-218.
• A review of research discussed the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activities of curcumin, found in turmeric.  From:  Noorafshan, A., & Ashkani-Esfahani, S. (2013). A review of therapeutic effects of curcumin. Current pharmaceutical design, 19(11), 2032-2046.

ANTI-ARTHRITIS

• In a double blind study of rheumatoid arthritis patients who took curcumin, they noticed a significant improvement in symptoms.  From:  Dcodhar, S. D., Sethi, R., & Srimal, R. C. (2013). Preliminary study on antirheumatic activity of curcumin (diferuloyl methane). Indian journal of medical research, 138(1).
• Patients with osteoarthritis who ingested 1500 mg a day of curcuminoids / black pepper for 6 weeks demonstrated a reduction in pain and improved function compaired to placebo.  From:  Panahi, Y., Rahimnia, A. R., Sharafi, M., Alishiri, G., Saburi, A., & Sahebkar, A. (2014). Curcuminoid treatment for knee osteoarthritis: a randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled trial. Phytotherapy research, 28(11), 1625-1631.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

• Phytochemicals derived from spices can reduce inflammatory diseases.  These include:  turmeric (curcumin), red pepper (capsaicin), cloves (eugenol), ginger (gingerol), cumin, anise (anethol), fennel (anethol), basil (ursolic acid), rosemary (ursolic acid), garlic (diallyl sulfide, S-allylmercaptocysteine, and ajoene), and pomegranate (ellagic acid). From:  Aggarwal, B. B., & Shishodia, S. (2004). Suppression of the Nuclear Factor‐κB Activation Pathway by Spice‐Derived Phytochemicals: Reasoning for Seasoning. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1030(1), 434-441.

ANTIOXIDANT

• Extracts of black pepper and turmeric and their piperine and curcumin constituents demonstrated in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. From: de Queiroz Cancian, M. A., de Almeida, F. G., Terhaag, M. M., de Oliveira, A. G., de Souza Rocha, T., & Spinosa, W. A. (2018). Curcuma longa L.-and Piper nigrum-based hydrolysate, with high dextrose content, shows antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. LWT, 96, 386-394.

ANTI-CANCER

• In a review of human clinical trials, the author found the following herbs / constituents effective in possibly treating certain types of cancer:  curcumin, green tea, resveratrol and mistletoe.  More human studies are warranted.  Hosseini, A., & Ghorbani, A. (2015). Cancer therapy with phytochemicals: evidence from clinical studies. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine, 5(2), 84.
• The authors provided a review of in vitro and in vivo studies on the anti-cancer effects of curcumin.  From:  Wilken, R., Veena, M. S., Wang, M. B., & Srivatsan, E. S. (2011). Curcumin: A review of anti-cancer properties and therapeutic activity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Molecular cancer, 10(1), 12.
• Curcumin taken orally for 3 months in patients with various high risk cancers had a chemopreventive effect against the cancer with minimal side effects.  From:  Hsieh, C. Y. (2001). Phase I clinical trial of curcumin, a chemopreventive agent, in patients with highrisk or pre-malignant lesions. Anticancer Res, 21, 2895-900.
• In a small study of patients with pancreatic cancer, a curcumin supplement was taken for 2 months. Two of the patients showed an improved clinical response.  From:  Dhillon, N., Aggarwal, B. B., Newman, R. A., Wolff, R. A., Kunnumakkara, A. B., Abbruzzese, J. L., … & Kurzrock, R. (2008). Phase II trial of curcumin in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Clinical Cancer Research, 14(14), 4491-4499.

SKIN

• Radiation dermatitis was reduced in women receiving breast cancer radiation with the intake of 2 grams of curcumin three times a day.  From:  Ryan, J. L., Heckler, C. E., Ling, M., Katz, A., Williams, J. P., Pentland, A. P., & Morrow, G. R. (2013). Curcumin for radiation dermatitis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of thirty breast cancer patients. Radiation research, 180(1), 34-43.
• Hairless rodents achieived increased wound healing with a 10% curcumin, 3% ginger extract applied topically.  From:  Bhagavathula, N., Warner, R. L., DaSilva, M., McClintock, S. D., Barron, A., Aslam, M. N., … & Varani, J. (2009). A combination of curcumin and ginger extract improves abrasion wound healing in corticosteroid‐impaired hairless rat skin. Wound repair and regeneration, 17(3), 360-366.

ANTIMICROBIAL / ANTIVIRAL

• Carrageenan, cineole, curcumin, and eugenol offered significant protection against herpes type 2 in mice.  From:  Bourne, K. Z., Bourne, N., Reising, S. F., & Stanberry, L. R. (1999). Plant products as topical microbicide candidates: assessment of in vitro and in vivo activity against herpes simplex virus type 2. Antiviral Research, 42(3), 219-226.
• Extracts of black pepper and turmeric and their piperine and curcumin constituents demonstrated in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. From: de Queiroz Cancian, M. A., de Almeida, F. G., Terhaag, M. M., de Oliveira, A. G., de Souza Rocha, T., & Spinosa, W. A. (2018). Curcuma longa L.-and Piper nigrum-based hydrolysate, with high dextrose content, shows antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. LWT, 96, 386-394.

NEUROPROTECTIVE

• A combination of safranal, curcumin, and thymoquinone showed neuroprotective activity in vitro.  From:  Alinejad, B., Ghorbani, A., & Sadeghnia, H. R. (2013). Effects of combinations of curcumin, linalool, rutin, safranal, and thymoquinone on glucose/serum deprivation-induced cell death. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine, 3(4), 321.

Compiled by: Kathy Sadowski

Updated: 8/15/19