Turmeric - The Golden Spice & The Most Versatile Herb

Turmeric (Curcuma longa), a native to the south & east Asia, belongs to the ginger (Zingiberaceae) family. Turmeric, also known as Haldi in India, has been used for centuries as a spice and medicinal herb. It is a significant part of Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani, and Traditional Chinese medicine to relieve pain, balance digestion, clear skin diseases, lessen stress, and reduce depression. Turmeric rhizome contains Curcuminoids, particularly curcumin, which are responsible for its orange-yellow colour, and possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and anti-Alzheimer activities in both preclinical and clinical studies.
Curcumin has an essential role in the prevention and treatment of various illnesses including, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, and autoimmune diseases. Moreover, curcumin has shown hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, antirheumatic, and anti-aging properties.

The essential oil of turmeric contains biologically active constituents such as α-turmerone and β-turmerone, which have been proved to have antimicrobial, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activity. Turmeric oil is widely used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. Therefore, both curcuminoids and volatile components of turmeric have been proved beneficial for health.

Turmeric for Inflammation

Turmeric is used in different inflammatory diseases as it inhibits the inflammatory mediators, oxidation processes, and oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a major cause of inflammation, and curcumin has a good potential for blocking it. Curcumin blocks TNFs, the principal mediator of most inflammation-related problems. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric helps treat inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, and arthritis.

Turmeric in Prevention and Treatment of Cancer

Turmeric has proved to be a promising anticancer agent. Curcumin inhibits transformed cell growth, proliferation, and metastasis at the molecular level due to the regulation of transcription factors, growth-regulatory molecules, growth factor receptors, protein kinase, and tumor suppressor pathways. Curcumin inhibits cell growth by inhibiting the expression of the basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF). Curcumin induces apoptosis of cancer cells and inhibits angiogenesis. Curcumin blocks cyclosporine A-resistant phorbol myristate acetate and the anti-CD28 pathway of T-cell proliferation. Curcumin reduces the testicular damage by an increase in Glutathione (GSH), testosterone levels, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity and a decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. These effects may be due to the intrinsic antioxidative abilities of curcumin. Dietary curcumin inhibits the expression of ras-p21 and fos-p62 oncogenes. Curcumin is useful in reducing and preventing various cancer types, including multiple myeloma, stomach, colon, pancreas, breast, prostates, and lung cancers.

Turmeric for Alzheimer's Disease

Turmeric effectively delays or even reverses many brain and age-related diseases and improves brain functions. Studies have found that it increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This gene is involved in making a protein responsible for promoting the life of neurons. As common brain disorders like Alzheimer's are associated with lower levels of BDNF, turmeric may help delay or reverse brain degeneration. It also helps in improving memory and attention, which seems logical given its effects on BDNF levels.

Benefits of Turmeric for Heart

Turmeric help reverse many steps in the heart disease process. It improves the function of the lining of blood vessels called the endothelium, thus helping regulate blood pressure and inhibit blood clotting. Studies indicate that turmeric can lead to improvements in heart health. In addition, curcumin can help reduce inflammation and oxidation, playing a role in heart disease. Curcumin also decreases the risk of a heart attack. Turmeric mobilizes α-tocopherol from adipose tissue, which protects against oxidative damage produced during atherosclerosis development. Curcumin increases the transport of VLDL cholesterol in plasma resulting in increased levels of α-tocopherol, which has strong antioxidant properties.

Turmeric for Diabetes

It has been found that curcumin present in turmeric has a role in preventing and controlling diabetes. A study of 2013 on diabetes patients suggests that turmeric decreases blood glucose and other diabetes-related complications. Another study suggests that turmeric extract could help stabilize blood sugar levels and make diabetes more manageable. A study found that feeding curcumin supplements to people with diabetes helps lower blood insulin levels. Curcumin may also help prevent diabetes by improving insulin resistance, lowering high blood sugar, and reducing high cholesterol.

Benefits of Turmeric for Liver Health

Turmeric has been reported to have a hepatoprotective effect in liver cirrhosis due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In another study, it has been observed that oral intake of turmeric extract decreases serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase activity, and free fatty acid, cholesterol, and phospholipid levels. Furthermore, turmeric enhances antioxidant capacities with higher activities of catalase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase. Hence, turmeric could be used as prevention against various liver diseases induced by oxidative stress via elevating antioxidative potentials and decreasing lipid peroxidation.

Turmeric for Depression

Studies have shown that turmeric extract prevents chronic stress by inducing an increase of serum IL6, TNF-α, CRF- and cortisol levels. Curcuma longa has antidepressant effects mediated through inhibition of monoamine oxidize A. Turmeric increases brain-derived neurotrophic factors in the frontal cortex and hippocampus. Research suggests that curcumin is a safe and effective treatment for major depressive disorders.

Benefits of Turmeric for Skin

Due to its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, turmeric effectively treats skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis. It has been proved that curcumin relieves psoriasis-like inflammation by decreasing the levels of IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α cytokines.

Anti-allergic and Anti-asthmatic Activity of Turmeric

Allergy and asthma are pro-inflammatory diseases stemming from inflammatory cytokines. A study proves that turmeric exhibits anti-allergic activity by suppressing the histamine release from mast cells, and curcumin lowers the production of IgE antibodies and cytokines.

Turmeric as an Antiviral

The aqueous extract of turmeric exhibits antiviral activity against the hepatitis B virus (HBV) via repression of HBsAg secretion from liver cells, without any cytotoxic effect. Curcumin was recognised as the antiviral constituent of the plant against the hepatitis C virus (HCV), decreasing HCV gene expression and replication through suppression of the Akt-SREBP-1 pathway. Turmeric has shown promising efficacy against influenza-A viral infections by regulating the immune response to prevent injury to pulmonary tissue.

Conclusion

Turmeric is reputed as a treasure of medicinal properties. Based on the results of various in vitro studies, in vivo studies, and clinical trials, scientific research has generated enough evidence-based data to support the same. Besides, turmeric is a safe, natural product and effectively prevents and treats various disorders. Turmeric, and especially its most active compound, curcumin, have many scientifically proven health benefits, such as the potential to improve heart health and prevent Alzheimer's and cancer. Turmeric derivatives have the potential to fight against SARS-CoV-2 and may be considered a possible treatment for covid-19.