Dermatological effects of Curcuma species: a systematic review

Abstract

Summary Curcuma and its derivatives are associated with anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant activities in the skin. They exhibit beneficial effects in wound healing and prevention of chronic ultraviolet B damage and may prevent facial redness such as rosacea and flushing. This review aims to provide an up‐to‐date and rigorous synthesis of studies that demonstrated the clinical efficacy of curcuminoids in the skin. We evaluated studies published in the MEDLINE–PubMed/PMC (National Library of Medicine) databases, and followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines for this review. This search included papers published in the past 10 years in controlled clinical trials, double‐blind and randomized controlled studies, and case studies. The search resulted in 12 studies published in the past 10 years. Curcuma species (Curcuma longa and Curcuma aeruginosa) and curcumin were found to produce various dermatological effects, including influencing antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory processes in the production of hyaluronan, increasing skin moisture, and reducing axillary hair growth. Curcuma was also found to reduce thickness, erythema, pruritus, burning and pain in psoriasis lesions and to improve radiodermatitis lesions. Our review results show that Curcuma species may play a role in skin health management and may exhibit various dermatological effects, thus it could be a new therapeutic arsenal for dermatology professionals. Nevertheless, more clinical trials should be conducted with humans to establish the optimum delivery method and dosages for different dermatological conditions.

Efficacy of a mixed preparation containing piperine, capsaicin and curcumin in the treatment of alopecia areata

“…Curcumin has the effect of promoting blood circulation and anti-inflammatory. 8 It may improve blood circulation in hair follicles and promote hair growth. Studies have shown that piperine can increase the serum concentration, absorption, and bioavailability of curcumin in rats and humans without any side effects.…”

The pharmacological basis of the curcumin nutraceutical uses: an update

“…Among these, pre-treatment with curcumin has been proposed to improve the healing activity of stem cells on diabetic rat wounds (210,332). Evidence obtained in humans indicate that curcumin's vasal activity on peripheral arterioles might be beneficial in reducing face redness and photodamage (16), and indeed curcumin has been proposed for the treatment of rosacea and acne (333). A liposomal gel preparation containing curcumin and lauric acid has been shown to reduce bacterial growth of P. acnes and to reduce comedone counts and cytokines in a rat ear model of acne (334).…”

“…The recent literature has shown curcumin as one of the most interesting pleiotropic nutraceuticals capable of interacting with different molecular targets involved in inflammation and oxidative stress. Moreover, curcumin showed positive effects as vasculo-and neuro-protective agent (13)(14)(15), and beneficial properties in skin diseases (16).…”

An Update on the Exploratory Use of Curcumin in Neuropsychiatric Disorders

“…All these properties have boosted the interest of researchers in this compound in recent decades. Thus, several preclinical studies and clinical trials have been conducted [ 12 ] with the aim of elucidating whether or not curcumin was effective for many different diseases, such as skin [ 13 ], cancer, or neurological pathologies [ 5 ].…”