Curcumin

Although best known as a spice that gives a distinctive flavor and yellow color to curry powder and mustard, turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a member of the ginger family and has long been used for healing. Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and other traditional medicine systems practiced in India have relied on this pungent spice for centuries, and so it's not surprising that the Asian subcontinent is where the most intensive research about this herb has been conducted.

The plant's healing properties reside in its fingerlike stalk, which is scalded and then dried for medicinal preparations. This is the same part of the plant used to flavor, color, and preserve foods.

Health Benefits

In India (and to some extent in China), turmeric has been used for centuries to treat indigestion and a host of other ailments. But it was considered only a culinary spice in many other parts of the world until the early ***0s, when laboratory researchers discovered notable inflammation-fighting compounds called curcuminoids in the herb. The most important of these*-and the most intensively studied by far*-is curcumin.

Among other findings, researchers discovered that turmeric (especially the curcumin component) has rich stores of antioxidants. In the body these important disease-fighting substances mop up unstable oxygen molecules called free radicals that can otherwise damage cells and cause diseases such as cancer.

Test-tube studies done in the ***0s indicate that curcumin is as powerful an antioxidant as vitamins C and E, and even beta-carotene. Antioxidants are also powerful preservatives, which helps explain why turmeric has long been sprinkled on food to help retain its freshness.

In animal studies and in one human trial published in ***2, turmeric also showed promise in lowering cholesterol levels and fighting atherosclerosis, a buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries that can lead to heart attack. Preliminary studies in mice indicate that the curcumin in turmeric may even block the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS).

The interest in the plant's potential for preventing neurologic diseases, such as MS and even Alzheimer's, was spurred by the realization that elderly Indian populations that consume considerable amounts of turmeric in their diet are far less likely than their Western counterparts to develop such ailments. Scientists conjecture that turmeric benefits such neurologic illnesses by minimizing inflammation, a theory supported by recent findings that people (Westerners in this case) taking anti-inflammatories regularly for arthritis are less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. More research in this area is clearly needed before any specific recommendations can be made.

Today, turmeric is widely recommended for myriad ailments, from stomach ulcers and skin infections to eye conditions (such as chronic anterior uveitis). The evidence for it actually working for any of these conditions is mixed. For example, there's no evidence that turmeric will help heal stomach ulcers but, when it's applied as a paste, it may well eliminate scabies, an itchy skin condition caused by parasitic mites.

Specifically, turmeric may help to: