Curcuma longa
(Tumeric)

Therapeutic Actions:

• Analgesic
• Anticoagulant
• Antifertility action
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antimicrobial
• Antineoplastic
• Antioxidant
• Antiplatelet-aggregator
• Carminative
• Cholagogue
• Emmenagogue
• Hepatoprotective
• Hypotensive
• Increases glutathione content in liver
• Increases rate-limiting step of cholesterol conversion into bile acids
• Inhibits platelet aggregation
• Inhibits lymphocytic activity
• Lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL cholesterol
• Stabilizes lysosomal membranes
• Stimulates digestive enzymes
• Topical antibacterial and antifungal
• Tumor-preventing activity

Clinical Indications:

• AIDS
• Alzheimer's Disease
• Asthma
• Atherosclerosis
• Cancer prevention
• Cholelithiasis
• Crohn's disease
• Diabetes mellitus
• Dysmenorrhea
• Eczema
• Hepatitis
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Peptic ulcer
• Psoriasis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Rosacea
• Ulcerative colitis
• Bruises
• Carcinogen exposure
• Cataract prevention
• Colic
• Essential oil is antifungal at a dilution of 1 to 500
• Flatulence
• Inhibit gram-positive bacteria (much less than conventional antibiotics)
• Inhibits tobacco smoke mutagenicity, nitrosamine formation, and lymphoma growth while increasing enzyme detoxification in the liver
• Jaundice
• Menstrual difficulties
• Pain
• Toothache
• Trauma

Contraindications:

• Bile duct obstruction due to cholagogue activity
• Pregnancy due to the uterine stimulant effect

Drug/Nutrient Interaction:

• Solid alcohol extract reduces frequency of duodenal and gastric ulcers caused by indomethacin and reserpine

Chemical Constituents:

• Curcumin, an antioxidant and antiedemic
• Orange-yellow volatile oil containing:
  
  Alantone
  Tumerone
  Zingerberone
• Resin
• Sugars:
  
  Arabinose
  Glucose
  Fructose
• Ukonan-A, a phagocytosis activating factor
• Ukonan-D, a reticuloendothelial system-potentiating activity

Toxicity:

• None known

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).