Biological activities of Curcuma longa L.

The protective effects of curcumin on intestine and remote organs against mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion injury

“…Previous studies have shown that CR could increase antioxidant enzyme expression and activity in tissue, inhibit neutrophil infiltration, and protect cell function under different stress conditions (25). Further, CR has been reported to be an effective scavenger for ROS and RNS in vitro.…”

Curcumin as “Curecumin”: From kitchen to clinic

“…is a well-documented treatment for various respiratory conditions (e.g., asthma, bronchial hyperactivity, and allergy) as well as for liver disorders, anorexia, rheumatism, diabetic wounds, runny nose, cough, and sinusitis [25]. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is used to treat diseases associated with abdominal pain [26].…”

“…In traditional Chinese medicine, it is used to treat diseases associated with abdominal pain [26]. In ancient Hindu medicine, it was used to treat sprains and swelling [25]. Throughout the Orient, it has traditionally been used to good therapeutic effect, particularly as an anti-inflammatory [12], and many of its therapeutic effects have been confirmed by modern scientific research.…”

Dietary Supplementation of Curcumin Enhances Antioxidant and Phase II Metabolizing Enzymes in ddY Male Mice: Possible Role in Protection against Chemical Carcinogenesis and Toxicity

“…Several studies have shown that curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a phenolic compound and a major component of curcuma species, used for imparting colour and flavour to food, possesses antiinflammatory (Satoskar et al 1986;Surh et al 2001), antioxidant properties (Sharma 1976;Araujo & Leon 2001) and afford protection against chemical carcinogen-induced tumourigenesis in skin, colon, forestomach, duodenal, lung and prostate cancer in animal bioassay systems (Azuine & Bhide 1992;Huang et al 1992Huang et al & 1993Dorai et al 2001;Smith et al 2001;Mori et al 2001). Recently, curcumin has been considered by oncologists as a potential third generation cancer chemopreventive agents and chemical trials using it have been carried out (Li & Lin-Shia 2001).…”

“…Recently, curcumin has been considered by oncologists as a potential third generation cancer chemopreventive agents and chemical trials using it have been carried out (Li & Lin-Shia 2001). Some studies suggest that the antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties of curcumin (Sharma 1976;Satoskar et al 1986;Araujo & Leon 2001), besides its protective effect against tumour promoter-caused induction of ornithine decarboxylase (Huang et al 1988) play an important role against carcinogen-induced development of neoplasia (Huang et al 1988;Wattenberg 1992), and is an inhibitor of reactive oxygen species-generating enzymes such as lipooxygenase/cyclooxygenase, xanthine dehydrogenase/oxidase and inducible nitric oxide synthase (Huang et al 1991;Goel et al 2001;Surh et al 2001). Curcumin is also a potent inhibitor of protein kinase C, EGF-receptor tyrosine kinase and I kappa B kinase .…”