Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a perennial plant of the ginger family well-known for use as a culinary spice in India and Asia. As a medicine, turmeric has been used for millennia by Ayurvedic and Unani physicians to treat both internal and external conditions, as it is still used today. In particular, it has a long history as a digestive aid and a liver herb, its yellow colour hinting at this role under the doctrine of signatures. The yellow colour is due to a high content of beneficial phenolic compounds called curcuminoids such as curcumin. In Okinawa it is considered a ‘longevity food’ because its consumption is a prominent part of the diet of centenarians.¹

Turmeric is generally used for treating digestive underactivity because it stimulates the pancreas to release enzymes and the gall bladder to release bile. This assists fat digestion, lubricates the gut and reduces a tendency to form gall stones. You can use turmeric as a liquid antacid when made into a gruel with water, or turmeric can be combined with slippery elm and liquorice to soothe and repair the gut following chronic inflammation caused by infections, excessive stress or food sensitivities. Turmeric is also a carminative meaning that it helps to expel gas.

Turmeric is also a good circulatory system herb: it is protective against the formation of arterial plaque by managing dyslipidaemia; it is a strong antioxidant which helps combat oxidative stress due to the oxidation of lipids (lipid-peroxidation); and it has antiplatelet activity similar to aspirin, so it is protective against clots and stroke.^2,3

Furthermore, turmeric is useful for treating another common metabolic disorder insulin resistance, or even frank diabetes. In fact, the regular consumption of turmeric will lower blood glucose, reduce inflammatory damage caused by persistent high blood glucose, improve the uptake of sugar by cells, as well as stimulate pancreatic function.⁴

Inflammation and airway sensitivity are features of asthma, a condition for which turmeric has been used since ancient times. These qualities, combined with the antimicrobial nature of the plant, make it useful for treating airway conditions especially when prescribed in combination with garlic or other more specific respiratory herbs such as white horehound and mullein.

Turmeric also has anticancer properties because it can inhibit the development of new blood vessels which supply tumours (angiogenesis), as well as promote tumour cell death. Furthermore, it is active against gastrointestinal cancers when eaten as a food, notably reducing the rate of colorectal cancer in populations where it is consumed regularly.

Because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nature, turmeric can be used to treat diseases of the nervous system as well. For example, in Alzheimer’s disease curcumin can help break up beta amyloid as well as prevent fibril and oligomer formation, while it is protective of the nerves in diabetic neuropathy. In the treatment of depression, curcumin modulates the release of serotonin and dopamine, as well as raising the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This important protein helps to support the viability of existing nerve cells, while encouraging the growth of new cells and the complex networks they form in the brain and the rest of the body.^5,6

Turmeric can be used externally as a wound healer because it has antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activity. Applied as an oil or cream it can treat wounds as well as conditions such as psoriasis, joint inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis, where it has been found as effective as anti-inflammatory drugs.^7,8

One part turmeric can be combined with four parts slippery elm and made into a gruel to be drunk several times a day. It can be grated and blended with other herbs like cinnamon in a  smoothie or taken in capsule form to protect the teeth from yellowing. The concentrated curcumin extract can also be bought at the healthfood shop combined with albizia and other anti-inflammatory herbs in a formula designed to increase its potency.

Disclaimer:

This article is intended for the purpose of general education only, and is not a substitute for a diagnosis, treatment advice, or a prescription given in a consultation with a qualified physician.

References:

1.         Pallauf K, Giller K, Huebbe P, Rimbach G. Nutrition and Healthy Ageing: Calorie Restriction or Polyphenol-Rich “MediterrAsian” Diet? Oxid Med Cell Longev 2013;2013.

2.         Bengmark S, Mesa MD, Gil A. Plant-derived health: the effects of turmeric and curcuminoids. Nutr Hosp 2009;24:273–81.

3.         Qin S, Huang L, Gong J, et al. Efficacy and safety of turmeric and curcumin in lowering blood lipid levels in patients with cardiovascular risk factors: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutr J 2017;16:68.

4.         Ghorbani Z, Hekmatdoost A, Mirmiran P. Anti-Hyperglycemic and Insulin Sensitizer Effects of Turmeric and Its Principle Constituent Curcumin. Int J Endocrinol Metab 2014;12. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4338652/

5.         Kulkarni SK, Dhir A. An overview of curcumin in neurological disorders. Indian J Pharm Sci 2010;72:149–54.

6.         Sinyor B, Mineo J, Ochner C. Alzheimer’s Disease, Inflammation, and the Role of Antioxidants. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2020;4:175–83.

7.         Zorofchian Moghadamtousi S, Abdul Kadir H, Hassandarvish P, Tajik H, Abubakar S, Zandi K. A Review on Antibacterial, Antiviral, and Antifungal Activity of Curcumin. BioMed Res Int 2014;2014. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4022204/

8.         Dragos D, Gilca M, Gaman L, et al. Phytomedicine in Joint Disorders. Nutrients 2017;9.