ABSTRACT
Turmeric, a golden spice referred to as the Indian Gold, is prepared from underground rhizomes, of which the turmeric root (Curcuma longa) and the underground shoots form an interconnected underground, complex, nger-like structure. Turmeric belongs to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) and for centuries has been considered in the Indian systems of medicine, such as Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine, to have therapeutic bene t. It is also a key ingredient of Indian, Malaysian, Chinese, Polynesian, and Thai curries, as well as western mustard preparations. In recent decades, the compound curcumin, a polyhydroxy phenolic compound that forms 4% of turmeric, has been found to have broadspectrum antitumor activity [Sisodia et al. 2005], anti-neuroin ammatory activity [Kulkarni et al. 2005], and anti-Abeta plaque activity [Cole et al. 2004]. It is currently being marketed by several companies as a nutraceutical in treatment with possible
bene ts in Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, aging, a number of cancers, cardiovascular health, diabetes, obesity, and more. Some of the companies that made unsubstantiated claims about the commercial curcumin products have come under close scrutiny by the FDA. Therefore, curcumin products often indicate that they are natural health supplements that are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Dr. Bharat Aggarwal and his group at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, has worked and published extensively on the laboratory studies on the mechanism of action of curcumin [Aggarwal and Harikumar 2009]. They have demonstrated that curcumin mediates its effects by modulation of several important molecular targets, including transcription factors (e.g., NF-κB and epidermal growth factor-1), enzymes (e.g., COX2, 5-lipoxygenase, and iNOS), and cytokines (e.g., TNF, IL-1, IL-6, and chemokines) [Aggarwal and Harikumar 2009]. Recent studies have shown that curcumin is able to inhibit both pathways of complement activation [Kulkarni et al. 2005], and, because unregulated complement activity can cause serious autoimmune tissue damage in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, macular degeneration, and atherosclerosis, curcumin has a potential for bene t in such conditions. Most of the polydroxy phenolic compounds of herbal origin are small-sized complement regulatory molecules that offer a great potential in the development of small-sized neuroprotective agents with an ability to cross the blood-brain barrier.
