turmeric extract research

Turmeric Extract: its medicinal properties are attributed partly to its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics.

Turmeric extract is a concentrated form of the natural spice which is simply a powdered form of the dried root. Turmeric Extract contains three molecular forms: the methoxy form, the demethoxy form and the bisdemethoxy form. The forms tested in the research articles mentioned below are usually a natural mixture of all three unless otherwise stated.

Turmeric Extract is not toxic even at high doses, in laboratory animals, and has been in customary use by the people of India for centuries. As a food coloring ("Food Color E100") turmeric extract is generally recognised as safe (US FDA). Customary dosages for Turmeric Extract are in the range of 1-2.5 gms per day. Turmeric Extract can be obtained in the market place at purities above 95% which is now the standard.

Turmeric extract has attracted the attention of researchers in the fields of Alzheimer's Disease, Arthritis, Cancer and Diabetes. Selections from recent research articles on the effects of turmeric extract are included below.

Article 2: "... we examined the effects of curcumin (Cur) and rosmarinic acid (RA) on the formation, extension, and destabilization of fAbeta(1-40) and fAbeta(1-42) at pH 7.5 at 37 degrees C in vitro. ... Cur and RA dose-dependently inhibited fAbeta formation from Abeta(1-40) and Abeta(1-42), as well as their extension. In addition, they dose-dependently destabilized preformed fAbetas. ... Although the mechanism by which Cur and RA inhibit fAbeta formation from Abeta and destabilize preformed fAbeta in vitro remains unclear, they could be a key molecule for the development of therapeutics for AD."
J Neurosci Res. 2004 Mar 15;75(6):742-50. Curcumin has potent anti-amyloidogenic effects for Alzheimer's beta-amyloid fibrils in vitro. Ono K, Hasegawa K, Naiki H, Yamada M. Department of Neurology and Neurobiology of Aging, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan.

Article 3: " ... Curcumin has an extensive history as a food additive and herbal medicine in India and is also a potent polyphenolic antioxidant. To evaluate whether it could affect Alzheimer-like pathology in the APPSw mice, we tested a low (160 ppm) and a high dose ... on inflammation, oxidative damage, and plaque pathology. Low and high doses of (it) significantly lowered oxidized proteins and interleukin-1beta, a proinflammatory cytokine elevated in the brains of these mice. With low-dose but not high-dose curcumin treatment, the astrocytic marker GFAP was reduced, and insoluble beta-amyloid (Abeta), soluble Abeta, and plaque burden were significantly decreased by 43-50%. However, levels of amyloid precursor (APP) in the membrane fraction were not reduced. Microgliosis was also suppressed in neuronal layers but not adjacent to plaques. In view of its efficacy and apparent low toxicity, this Indian spice component shows promise for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease."
J Neurosci. 2001 Nov 1;21(21):8370-7. The curry spice curcumin reduces oxidative damage and amyloid pathology in an Alzheimer transgenic mouse. Lim GP, Chu T, Yang F, Beech W, Frautschy SA, Cole GM. Departments of Medicine and Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.

Article 1: "The cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) has recently emerged as a crucial factor in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). ... Curcumin and caffeic acid were found to be the most potent inhibitors, exhibiting IC(50) values in the submicromolar range in the ketonase assay. ... Our results reveal MIF as a possible target for the herbal anti-rheumatic agents."
Int Immunopharmacol. 2005 May;5(5):849-56. Plant-derived anti-inflammatory compounds affect MIF tautomerase activity. Molnar V, Garai J. Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pecs, 12, Szigeti Str. H-7624 Pecs, Hungary.

Article 2: OBJECTIVE: "Therefore, we undertook studies to determine the antiarthritic efficacy and mechanism of action of a well-characterized turmeric extract using an animal model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RESULTS: A turmeric fraction depleted of essential oils profoundly inhibited joint inflammation and periarticular joint destruction in a dose-dependent manner... Consistent with these findings, inflammatory cell influx, joint levels of prostaglandin E(2), and periarticular osteoclast formation were inhibited by turmeric extract treatment. CONCLUSION: These translational studies demonstrate in vivo efficacy and identify a mechanism of action for a well-characterized turmeric extract that supports further clinical evaluation of turmeric dietary supplements in the treatment of RA.
Arthritis Rheum. 2006 Nov;54(11):3452-64. Efficacy and mechanism of action of turmeric supplements in the treatment of experimental arthritis. Funk JL, Frye JB, Oyarzo JN, Kuscuoglu N, Wilson J, McCaffrey G, Stafford G, Chen G, Lantz RC, Jolad SD, Sólyom AM, Kiela PR, Timmermann BN. University of Arizona, Tucson, USA.

Article 2: " ... Curcumin, one of the most studied chemopreventive agents, is a natural compound extracted from Curcuma longa L. that allows suppression, retardation or inversion of carcinogenesis. (It) is also described as an anti-tumoral, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent capable of inducing apoptosis in numerous cellular systems. ..."
Cancer Lett. 2005 Jun 8;223(2):181-90. Chemopreventive and therapeutic effects of curcumin. Duvoix A, Blasius R, Delhalle S, Schnekenburger M, Morceau F, Henry E, Dicato M, Diederich M. Hopital Kirchberg, 9, rue Edward Steichen, L-2540 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.

Article 2: "CONCLUSIONS: Curcumin can suppress the growth, induce apoptosis of bladder cancer EJ cell in vitro. Its mechanism is related with down-regulations of the expressions of NF-kappaB and Cyclin D1. (It) has great potential for the treatment of bladder cancer."
Zhong Yao Cai. 2004 Nov;27(11):848-50. [The effect of curcumin on bladder cancer cell line EJ in vitro] [Article in Chinese] Sun M, Yang Y, Li H, Su B, Lu Y, Wei Q, Fan T. Department of Urology of Westchina Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu.

Article 3: "OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism of anti-tumor effects of curcumin on human lung cancer cell (A549). ... CONCLUSION: Curcumin can interfere with ... growth cycle of A549 cell and suppress cell growth. The suppression effect is concentration dependent. ..."
Zhong Yao Cai. 2004 Dec;27(12):923-7. [Research of anti-proliferation of curcumin on A549 human lung cancer cells and its mechanism] [Article in Chinese] Zhang J, Qi H, Wu C. Respiratory Department of Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an.

Article 2: "The inhibitory effect of curcumin, the yellow-colored pigment from turmeric, on telomerase activity was analyzed in human mammary epithelial (MCF-10A) and breast cancer (MCF-7) cells. ... In MCF-7 cells, telomerase activity decreased with increasing concentrations of (it), inhibiting about 93.4% activity at 100 microM concentration..."
Cancer Lett. 2002 Oct 8;184(1):1-6. Curcumin inhibits telomerase activity through human telomerase reverse transcritpase in MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Ramachandran C, Fonseca HB, Jhabvala P, Escalon EA, Melnick SJ. Department of Pathology, Miami Children's Hospital, 3100 SW 62nd Avenue, FL 33155, USA.

Article 3: "It was concluded that curcumin could significantly inhibit the growth of ovary cancer cells. The induction of apoptosis by down-regulating the expression of bcl-2 and p53 was probably one of its molecular mechanisms."
J Huazhong Univ Sci Technolog Med Sci. 2004;24(1):55-8. Growth-inhibitory effects of curcumin on ovary cancer cells and its mechanisms. Zheng L, Tong Q, Wu C. Department of Pathology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022.

Article 1: "... We tested the hypothesis that the plant polyphenolic compound curcumin, which is known to exert potent antiinflammatory and antioxidant effects, would ameliorate diabetes and inflammation in murine models of insulin-resistant obesity. We found that Curcumin admixture ameliorated diabetes in high-fat diet-induced obese and leptin-deficient ob/ob male C57BL/6J mice as determined by glucose and insulin tolerance testing and hemoglobin A1c percentages. We therefore conclude that orally ingested curcumin reverses many of the inflammatory and metabolic derangements associated with obesity and improves glycemic control in mouse models of type 2 diabetes. ..."
Endocrinology. 2008 Jul;149(7):3549-58. Dietary curcumin significantly improves obesity-associated inflammation and diabetes in mouse models of diabesity. Weisberg SP, Leibel R, Tortoriello DV. Russ Berrie Medical Science Pavilion, Columbia University Medical Center, 1150 St. Nicholas Avenue, Room 620, New York, New York 10032.

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