What is turmeric (curcuma longa)?
What is turmeric?
Turmeric ( curcuma longa ) is a plant native to South Asia, belonging to the Zingiberaceae family.
It is used extensively in Asian cuisine, particularly in curries.
It is credited with numerous virtues and properties:
- Dye
- Spicy
- Medicinal plant
What are the active ingredients of turmeric?
Turmeric is rich in many compounds, including:
- Curcuminoids
- Quinoids
- Sesquiterpenes and monoterpenes
- And other compounds...
Of all the curcuminoids, curcumin is certainly the most renowned molecule and is considered one of the key active ingredients, if not the key active ingredient, of turmeric.
What is curcumin and what are its biological properties?
Curcumin, also known as diferuloylmethane, was first isolated exactly two centuries ago in 1815 by two German scientists, Vogel and Pelletier.
Curcumin is considered a low-toxicity nutraceutical, which has been studied in a number of medical conditions such as cataracts, cystic fibrosis, and prostate and colon cancers.
Curcumin is attributed with strong antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, antispasmodic, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, and other activities. Some of these properties
This compound inhibits the activity of growth factor receptors. The anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin are mediated by its effects on cytokines, lipid mediators, eicosanoids, and proteolytic enzymes.
Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant; it traps the superoxide radical, hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide, and inhibits lipid peroxidation.
What are the health claims that turmeric can make?
Currently, no health claims have been authorized by EFSA, but several claims are awaiting validation.
These claims relate to the liver, nervous system, joint relief, blood lipid metabolism, antioxidant activity, and effect on immunity.
In accordance with regulations, these claims may be used at the discretion of the manufacturers and subject to compliance with the conditions of application.
The traditional uses of curcumin (and therefore of turmeric) are recognized by health authorities: EMA, WHO, ESCOP...
The problem of curcumin bioavailability
The major problem with turmeric is the low bioavailability of curcumin. It is poorly absorbed in the intestines.
Some manufacturers have found a workaround by adding piperine (extracted from pepper) or plants containing saponins to their turmeric.
We advise against using this type of turmeric! Piperine significantly increases the bioavailability of turmeric. However, this effect is achieved by altering intestinal permeability (or rather, intestinal impermeability). To put it simply, piperine creates holes in the intestine, allowing curcumin to be absorbed. Unfortunately, this opens the door to numerous molecules external to our body (produced by our gut microbiota or ingested through food), one of the effects of which is increased inflammation.
And what about Phytocea?
At Phytocea , we've chosen to use premium turmeric, highly standardized in curcumin but completely unmodified. You can find it in ReLive or Dtox . ReLive is a food supplement designed to help manage menstrual disorders.
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What precautions should be taken when taking turmeric?
Contraindications are mainly related to taking medical treatments; therefore, it is advisable to consult your doctor before taking turmeric to check for any interactions with current treatments, in particular:
Turmeric can interact with blood-thinning medications, particularly warfarin (Coumadin), and plants with anticoagulant properties (garlic, ginger, ginkgo, ginseng, eleutherococcus, kava, tonka bean, etc.). Therefore, it should not be combined with anticoagulants or antiplatelet agents.
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Avoid consumption if taking immunosuppressants and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).
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An overdose may cause nausea and vomiting
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Turmeric is an inhibitor of the antitumor action of certain chemotherapies such as cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and irinotecan.
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Interacts with cytochrome P450 substrates
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Interacts with P-glycoprotein (UGT-GST) substrates
- Turmeric, when not used for food, should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women and by people under 18 years of age.
Is there any research being done on turmeric?
Turmeric is the subject of research aimed at demonstrating its applications in the treatment of several pathologies. These studies are of varying quality, but several effects have been observed and published in the scientific literature.
Several studies have demonstrated the antioxidant properties of curcumin, attributed to its molecular structure. It stimulates the synthesis of reduced glutathione in cells (1) and acts as a regulator of oxidative stress, particularly in the retinal system (2).
Turmeric inhibits lipid peroxidation (role in inflammation) and joint inflammation during acute and chronic phases of arthritis by inhibiting the activity of protein kinase C (anti-inflammatory role) and the activity of the HER-2/neu protein (antiproliferative role).(3)
Further more general information about turmeric can be found in articles (4-6).
