ABSTRACT
Curcumin (diferuloylmethane or 1,7-bis-[4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl]-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione) is the active ingredient in turmeric, derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa.1 Turmeric has been used in cosmetics and medicine in the Indian subcontinent for centuries. Turmeric itself contains turmerin, essential oils and curcuminoids, including curcumin, the most biologically active of the ingredients. Curcumin comprises 2%–8% of turmeric1 and is mainly responsible for the yellow color. The observed anti-inammatory properties2 of curcumin has led to its use as a therapeutic cosmetic. The colored curcuminoids, however, have been found to be more potent than the colorless compounds, with curcumin being the most potent of the colored curcuminoids.
