Curcumin – a golden double edged sword!

Abstract

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is extensively used as a spice, food preservative and colouring material in South East Asia , China and. India. It has been used in traditional medicine as a household remedy for various diseases, including hepatic disorders ,biliary disorders, anorexia, cough, diabetic wounds, , rheumatism and sinusitis. For the last few decades, extensive work has been done to establish the biological activities and pharmacological actions of turmeric and its extracts. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), which is the main yellow bioactive component of turmeric has shown to have a wide spectrum of biological actions.