World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

CURCUMIN USE FOR HEALTH BENEFITS

Manisha M. Magar and *Pawar Vaishnavi B.

ABSTRACT

Turmeric (curcuma longa) is a flowering plants of the ginger family with a long history of medicinal use due to its potent anti-inflammatory properties. Its most active constitutes is curcumin which has been put to use as a foodstuff, cosmetics & medicines. It is widely used as a spice in south Asian & middle eastern cooking, it lends curry it’s distinctive yellow color and flavor. It is used as a coloring agent in cheese butter & other foods. Turmeric, a spice that has long been recognized for its medicinal properties, has received interest from both the medical/scientific world and from culinary enthusiasts, as it is the major source of the polyphenol curcumin. It aids in the management of oxidative and inflammatory conditions, metabolic syndrome, arthritis, anxiety, and hyperlipidemia. It may also help in the management of exercise-induced inflammation and muscle soreness, thus enhancing recovery and performance in active people. In addition, a relatively low dose of the complex can provide health benefits for people that do not have diagnosed health conditions. Most of these benefits can be attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Ingesting curcumin by itself does not lead to the associated health benefits due to its poor bioavailability, which appears to be primarily due to poor absorption, rapid metabolism, and rapid elimination. There are several components that can increase bioavailability. For example, piperine is the major active component of black pepper and, when combined in a complex with curcumin, has been shown to increase bioavailability by 2000%. Curcumin combined with enhancing agents provides multiple health benefits. The purpose of this review is to provide a brief overview of the plethora of research regarding the health benefits of curcumin.

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