Turmeric: A Medicine from Your Kitchen

Uses of Turmeric

• Turmeric is used as a culinary spice and food dye.

• It is used as a bright yellow coloring for textiles, paints, and fabrics.

• Turmeric is considered sacred and auspicious in Hindu and Buddhist ceremonies.

• For cosmetic purposes, turmeric is used in skin creams.

• Turmeric can be used in the chemistry laboratory as an indicator like a litmus paper. It turns brown in the presence of alkaline (basic) substances.

• Turmeric is used as a herbal medicine or supplement.

Turmeric is an important yellow food dye and is a main ingredient of curry powder and Indian dishes including curries. It is also added to pickles and can be used instead of saffron to add color and flavor to rice.

In Europe and the US, turmeric is widely used as a coloring agent in processed foods, sauces, pharmaceuticals, confectionery, and textile dyes.

1. Use of Turmeric in Traditional Medicine
Turmeric has long been used in traditional medicine in India and China. It's rhizome is generally the part of the plant that is most widely used. It can be prepared in various ways and is reputed to alleviate asthma and coughs.

. In Ayurveda, hot water extracts of the dried rhizome have been taken orally to reduce inflammation. In fact, turmeric is also regarded as a 'rasayana' herb, that means it is used to counteract aging process.

In Unani medicine, turmeric has been used for conditions such as liver obstruction, jaundice and has been applied externally for ulcers and inflammation. Roasted turmeric has been used as an ingredient of a preparation used for dysentery.

. Turmeric also finds place in herbal tooth powder or paste. A hot water extract of the dried rhizome is taken orally to slow lactation, to regulate fat metabolism, for diabetes, diarrhoea, liver diseases and is taken as a tonic to calm the stomach.

. For external use, the dried rhizome is applied to fresh wounds and insect stings and also to help the healing process in chickenpox and smallpox.

. Turmeric lends a good complexion to the skin and is applied externally to remove hair and to alleviate itching. Inhalation of turmeric smoke is reputed to relieve hiccups.

The rhizomes of turmeric have also been mixed with other plants to produce remedies for a range of conditions including tonsillitis, headaches, wounds, snake bites, stings, sprains, and fractured bones.

2. Role of Turmeric in Modern Scientific Medicine
The active constituents of turmeric are considered to be turmerone oil and water soluble curcuminoids, including curcumin. Studies show that the compound has an anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties.

Animal and lab research suggests that turmeric may be helpful for the following health conditions:

Dyspepsia (Indigestion) Research shows that taking turmeric orally might help improve dyspepsia. Curcumin stimulates the gallbladder to produce bile, which may help improve digestion.

In Germany, the German Commission E, an authoritative body that determines which herbs can be safely prescribed in that country, has approved turmeric root for dyspeptic conditions.

Quiescent Ulcerative colitis Turmeric may help maintain remission in people with quiescent ulcerative colitis. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, people with ulcerative colitis received either curcumin or placebo, along with conventional medical treatment, for 6 months. Those who took curcumin had a relapse rate that was much lower than those who took placebo.

Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis- Because of its ability to reduce inflammation, turmeric may help relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Atherosclerosis Early studies suggest that turmeric may help prevent atherosclerosis (the build-up of plaques that can block arteries and lead to heart attack or stroke). In animal studies, an extract of turmeric lowered cholesterol levels and kept LDL or "bad" cholesterol from building up plaques in blood vessels. Because turmeric stops platelets from clumping together, it may also prevent blood clots from building up along the walls of arteries. However, it is not yet known whether turmeric would have similar effect in humans, or how much you would have to take to see any benefit.

Cancer Human studies of curcumin in cancer prevention and treatment are in the very early stages. Further clinical research is needed to determine curcumin's role in cancer prevention and treatment in humans. Evidence from test tube and animal studies suggests that curcumin may help prevent, control, or kill several types of cancers, including prostate, breast, stomach, skin, and colon. Curcumin's effects may be due to its ability to stop the blood vessels that supply cancerous tumors from growing, and its preventive effects may come from its strength as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage.

There are evidences that applying a turmeric ointment might help relieve odor and itching caused by skin cancer. Curcumin has shown biological activity in pancreatic cancer patients and there are ongoing studies to test its effect as an adjuvant in this cancer’s treatment.

Diabetes Turmeric helps in reducing blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels in animals, but researchers don't yet know whether turmeric would be helpful in treating diabetes in humans.

Bacterial, Fungal and Viral Infections Test tube and animal studies suggest turmeric may have antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiviral properties.

Uveitis A preliminary study suggests curcumin may help treat uveitis, an inflammation of the eye.

Kidney Transplant Rejections A small study of curcumin and another antioxidant, quercetin, was done in adults who had kidney transplants. Those who took the combination in high dosages had fewer transplant rejections than those who received lower doses or placebo. More studies are needed to validate the findings.

Alzheimer’s Disease In studies of mice, curcumin appeared to help block the plaques and proteins that cause problems in the brain during Alzheimer’s disease.

Liver Diseases Experimental studies suggest curcumin may have protective effects on the liver.

Postmenopausal Osteoporosis Extracts prepared from turmeric, containing bioactive phenolic curcuminoids, suggested bone-protective effects in a rat model of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

3. Precautions
Most herbal and dietary supplements have not been tested to find out if they interact with medicines, foods, or other herbs and supplements.

Even though some reports of harmful interactions and adverse effects have published, details of interactions and adverse effects are not often available. Because of these limitations, any information on side effects and interactions cited should not be considered complete.

Herbs can trigger adverse effects and may show harmful interactions with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, one should take herbs and dietary supplements with care, only under the supervision of a health care provider.

Turmeric is considered as safe in most adults when used in food. It is ‘possibly safe’ when used in recommended medicinal amounts or as a dietary supplement (Turmeric's rhizomes are dried and taken by mouth as a powder or in capsules, teas, infusion, tincture, or liquid extracts).

More research is needed to establish the safety of turmeric when used as an herbal medicine or as a dietary supplement.

Turmeric in medicinal amounts or as a dietary supplement should not be used under the following conditions:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not take turmeric as a dietary supplement. It might promote the onset of menstrual period or stimulate the uterus, putting the pregnancy at risk.

Gall-bladder problems Turmeric can make gall bladder problems worse. Don’t use turmeric if you have gallstones or a bile duct obstruction.

Stomach ulcers and hyper acidity It should not be administered to people who suffer from stomach ulcers or hyper acidity.

Kidney stones Patients who are predisposed to kidney stone formation should use turmeric with caution.

Bleeding disorders People with bleeding disorders also should avoid turmeric.

Surgery Turmeric might slow blood clotting. It might cause extra bleeding during and after surgery. Stop using turmeric medicine or supplement at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Hypersensitivity Turmeric is contraindicated in persons having hypersensitivity to this drug.

Cancer treatment Antioxidant supplements, including turmeric, can interfere with the effectiveness of chemotherapy or radiation treatment in cancer patients. Patients who are in cancer treatment should talk to their doctor before taking vitamins, minerals, or other supplements. Patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer should ask their doctor if they should limit their intake of turmeric (in medicinal amounts or as supplement) and turmeric-containing foods, as turmeric may affect efficacy of some anti-cancer medicines.

4. Adverse or Side Effects
High doses or long-term use of turmeric, in medicinal amounts or as a supplement, may cause stomach pain, gas, indigestion, nausea, or diarrhea, and, in extreme cases, stomach ulcers. Allergic dermatitis, skin rash, and contact urticaria have been reported with turmeric’s use in medicinal amounts or as a supplement.

Applying turmeric to the skin for long periods of time can cause a yellow discoloration of the skin that may be difficult to remove. The amount of turmeric found in foods is thought to be safe for those who are not allergic to it.

People who are allergic to ginger or yellow food colorings are more likely to be allergic to turmeric.