Curcumin, a pleiotropic agent
Curcuma longa L., of the Zingiberaceae family, a herbaceous species of a tropical and subtropical climate, is one of the plants used by Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, which has received significant attention in recent years for its various pharmacological activities. From this plant's dried and ground rhizome, turmeric is obtained, an intense yellow powder that is not very soluble in water.
Traditionally, in Ayurveda, turmeric has been used in preparations taken to treat arthritis, dyspepsia, flatulence, liver diseases, urinary tract diseases, and topical preparations for the treatment of pemphigus other skin diseases, as well as in inhalations for the treatment of coryza. In addition to these medicinal applications, turmeric is used as the main component of curry. This condiment has been used for centuries in the cuisine of India and other Asian countries to add flavour and colour to food. The current interest related to the study of the therapeutic properties of the components of turmeric is primarily due to epidemiological evidence that has found favorable relationships between turmeric consumption and the low incidence of certain diseases in the populations of these countries.
In the last century, curcumin's pharmacological and medicinal properties, the leading natural product found in the rhizome of Curcuma longa L., have been scientifically proven. Studies have demonstrated curcumin's anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and antifungal activities. Overwhelming in vitro, in vivo studies, and clinical trials have shown curcumin to be a beneficial pleiotropic agent for preventing and treating various diseases and safe. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified curcumin as "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS). Thus, curcumin is a support used for various diseases, such as liver disorders, respiratory conditions and inflammation, obesity, diabetes, rheumatism, and even tumor processes.
Traditional medicine, based on the administration of natural products to treat various human diseases, has been used by many different cultures throughout history. Due to their low cost and fewer side effects, the use of phytochemicals with proven pharmacological activity to prevent and treat diseases has increased in Western medicine. Several publications show a variety of natural products from the rhizome of this plant that has important biological activities with therapeutic utility.
The rhizome of the Curcuma plant contains a wide variety of health-promoting natural products that include curcuminoids, a group of polyphenols responsible for the main therapeutic properties of Curcuma.
Curcuminoids generally constitute approximately 1% to 6% by weight of the dry powder of the rhizome of Curcuma longa L. These curcuminoids in turmeric are represented by curcumin (60-70%), demethoxycurcumin (20-27%), bisdemethoxycurcumin (10-15%), and in smaller amounts, by 5'-methoxycurcumin, dihydrocurcumin and cyclocurcumin.
Curcumin is the substance that causes the characteristic yellow colour of the plant's rhizomes. It has been extensively researched for its extensive health benefits. Curcumin is considered a pleiotropic agent because it has been shown to possess potent pharmacological actions, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.