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well known for its insecticidal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-rheumatic and antibiotic properties, Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) Essential oil (EO), is effective in repelling and controlling many different pest species. The present study evaluates in vitro efficacy of turmeric EO against ectoparasitic tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus)annulatus collected from their natural host, domesticated cows. Repellency and toxicity of the EO on ectoparasitic ticks was analyzed with petri dish choice bioassay and AIT (Adult immersion test) against adult engorged females and nymphal stages of ticks. The Repellency Concentration (RC 50 ) and Lethal Concentration (LC 50 ) reproductive index, inhibition of oviposition and egg hatchability of treated ticks were estimated. GC-MS analysis identified Ar-turmerone as the major phytochemical, which induces adulticidal and repellant properties of EO. The nymphal stages of the ticks exhibited greater repellency on application of EO than the adult stage. Also, EO induced effective mortality in adult ticks. Further, this lethal concentration is capable of producing a decreased output in reproductive parameters namely, fecundity, % of oviposition and egg hatchability in surviving ticks thereby considerably reducing Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) R(B). annulatus population on its host. This study reveals the potency C. longa EO to be used as an effective pest control agent against R (B). annulatus infestation that can serve as an alternative to synthetic pesticides., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical declaration This study was conducted in accordance with ethical guidelines and regulations concerning research integrity. We hereby declare that no animals were involved in this research except ectoparasitic tick. Only collection of ticks taken from cows, which doesn’t cause any harm to them. Also, we don’t used any endangered species of plants in the study, we comply with the IUCN policy statement on research involving species at risk of extinction and the convention on trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The therapeutic properties of turmeric essential oil have been extensively documented in both preclinical and clinical studies. Research indicates that its primary active compounds are promising candidates for addressing a wide range of pathologies, exhibiting anticancer, anti-inflammation, antioxidant, cardiovascular, hypoglycemic, dermatological, hepatoprotective, neurological, antiparasitic, antiviral, insecticidal, antifungal, and antivenom activities. While numerous compounds possess similar potential applications, the isolated active constituents of turmeric essential oil stand out due to their unique pharmacological profiles and absence of toxicity. This literature review meticulously compiles and analyzes the bioactivities of these constituents, emphasizing their molecular mechanisms of action, reported pharmacological effects, and potential therapeutic applications. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive synthesis of currently available clinical and preclinical findings related to individual turmeric essential oil compounds, while also identifying critical knowledge gaps. By summarizing these findings, this work encourages further research into the isolated compounds from turmeric oil as viable drug candidates, ultimately contributing to the development of innovative therapeutic strategies.

Background: The inhalation of paraquat (PQ), one of the most widely used herbicides in the world, can result in lung injury. Curcuma longa (Cl) has long history in traditional and folk medicine for the treatment of a wide range of disorders including respiratory diseases., Aim: The aim of the present work was to evaluate the preventive effect of Cl on inhaled PQ-induced lung injury in rats., Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into 8 groups (n = 7), one group exposed to saline (control) and other groups exposed to PQ aerosol. Saline (PQ), Cl extract, (two doses), curcumin (Cu), pioglitazone (Pio), and the combination of Cl-L + Pio and dexamethasone (Dex) were administered during the exposure period to PQ. Total and differential white blood cell (WBC) counts, oxidant and antioxidant indicators in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BALF), interleukin (IL)-10, and tumor necrosis alpha (TNF-α) levels in the lung tissues, lung histologic lesions score, and air way responsiveness to methacholine were evaluated., Results: WBC counts (Total and differential), malondialdehyde level, tracheal responsiveness (TR), IL-10, TNF-α and histopathological changes of the lung were markedly elevated but total thiol content and the activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase were decreased in the BALF in the PQ group. Both doses of Cl, Cu, Pio, Cl-L + Pio, and Dex markedly improved all measured variables in comparison with the PQ group., Conclusion: CI, Pio, and Cl-L + Pio improved PQ-induced lung inflammation and oxidative damage comparable with the effects of Dex., (© 2024 The Authors. Immunity, Inflammation and Disease published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Thioacetamide (TAA) is known to cause damage to various organs, including the testes, posing a significant health threat. On the other hand, Curcuma longa (Cl) has been recognized for its antioxidant properties, suggesting a potential protective role against TAA-induced toxicity in the testes., Aim: This study aims to investigate the effect of TAA on testicular function and structure while exploring the therapeutic and protective potential of C. longa versus TAA toxicity., Methods: Thirty-two male albino rats, with an age range of 11-12 weeks and a weight range of 180-200 g, were randomly allocated into four distinct groups. The control group received normal saline, while the Cl group ingested Cl orally at a dose of 500 mg/kg daily. The TAA group, received TAA through intraperitoneal injections at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight three times per week. Lastly, the Cl with TAA group received Cl orally 2 hours before the TAA injections. After 8 weeks of treatment, we anesthetized the rats and saved blood samples for biochemical analysis., Results: The study revealed significant alterations in various biochemical parameters in the TAA-treated group, as compared with the control. Specifically, there was a significant increase in bilirubin, albumin, cholesterol, triglyceride, very low-density lipoprotein, white blood cells, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and platelets levels. Conversely, the Cl-treated group exhibited significant reductions in these parameters, along with notable increases in red blood cells, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and hemoglobin., Conclusion: C. longa demonstrates a protective effect on the testes against TAA-induced toxicity, potentially attributed to its antioxidant properties. This suggests a promising avenue for the use of Cl in mitigating the harmful effects of TAA on testicular function and structure., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Background: The Trichuris eggs are collected from naturally infected sheep. Natural antihelmintics such as herbal medicines are needed as an alternative, such as natural compounds from endemic plants., Aim: This present study aims to evaluate the ovicidal activity and cytotoxicity effects of ethanolic extract of Curcuma longa (EECL) and Camelia sinensis (EECS) as a biological anthelmintic against the egg of Trichuris sp ., Methods: The Trichuris eggs are collected from naturally infected sheep. CMC-Na solution 1% was used as a control. The treatments were 0.12% EECL; 0.24% EECL; 0.15% EECS; 0.30% EECS; a combination of 0.12% EECL and 0.30% EECS; a combination of 0.24% EECL; and 0.15% EECS. Ovicidal activity testing by microscopic examination of eggs treated using different concentrations of EECL extract, EECS, and a combination of them. They were exposed for various times (7, 14, 21, and 28 days) and incubated at room temperature., Results: The study shows that a combination of C. longa extract and tea extract exhibits good ovicidal anthelmintic activity against Trichuris sp . in sheep. Cytotoxicity examination using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) 2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) test. Based on MTT data processed using regression analysis, the obtained LC 50 from the administration of EECL, EECS, and a combination of both in a ratio of 1:1, 2:2, 1:2, and 2:1. The combination of EECL extract and EECS with the highest concentration produced cell viability of 28.46%, 17.25%, 56.01%, and 46.47%, respectively., Conclusion: It can be concluded that the most cytotoxic ingredient is found in the combination of EECL and EECS (2:2) at 17.25% and the safest is in the ratio (1:2) at 56.01%., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Turmeric is well-known for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic properties but 69.4% of the turmeric rhizome contains Turmerosaccharides whose clinical benefit is still unexplored. Turmacin®/NR-INF-02 is an aqueous extract of Turmeric containing Turmerosaccharides (>10%w/w) with negligible curcuminoids. Previous study with low dose Turmacin® confirmed its safety and efficacy in alleviating induced knee pain in healthy volunteers. Hence, this study aimed to assess the safety and explore the efficacy of moderately high dose Turmacin®. It was an open-label, single-arm interventional trial conducted from August 2018 - January 2019 in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Turmacin® was administered for seven days to 15 healthy volunteers as four capsules of 500 mg each in the morning with food. The stair mill at a speed of 60 steps per minute was used to induce knee pain and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to measure the pain intensity. Assessments were performed at baseline, Days 5 and 7. One participant reported dyspepsia of mild grade that resolved on its own. When compared to baseline, time to initial discomfort significantly increased on Day-5 (Mean Difference [MD] = 30s, p  = 0.016) and Day-7 (MD = 32s, p  = 0.007). Whereas the maximum VAS score decreased with time and on Day-7 and it was significantly low when compared with baseline (MD = -0.93, p  = 0.008). In summary, Turmacin® supplements given at a dose of 2 g/day was safe and tolerable. Similar to the previous study with low dose Turmacin®, there was a significant increase in pain threshold and decrease in the maximum pain score post intervention.

Processing with heat treatment has been reported to alter several therapeutic effects of turmeric. In Vietnamese traditional medicine, turmeric has been long used for bacterial infections, and roasting techniques are sometimes applied with this material. However, there have been no studies investigating the effects of these thermal processes on the plant's antibacterial properties. Our study was therefore performed to examine the changes that roasting produced on this material. Slices of dried turmeric were further subjected to light-roasting (80 °C in 20 min) or dark-roasting (160 °C in 20 min) processes. Broth dilution and agar-well diffusion methods were applied to examine and compare the effects of ethanol extracts obtained from non-roasted, light-roasted and dark-roasted samples, on a set of 6 gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. In both investigations, dark-roasted turmeric was significantly less antibacterial than non-roasted and light-roasted materials, as evident by the higher values of minimum inhibitory concentrations and the smaller diameters of induced inhibitory zones. In addition, dark-roasting was also found to clearly reduce curcumin contents, total polyphenol values and antioxidant activities of the extracts. These results suggest that non-roasting or light-roasting might be more suitable for the processing of turmeric materials that are aimed to be applied for bacterial infections.

This paper examined the pluripotent effect of supplementation of turmeric rhizome powder (TRP) (Curcuma longa) in growing Andaman local pigs. A total of 48 pigs were randomly allotted into four groups and fed diets containing TRP at 4 concentrations, that is, 0 (control group), 0.05 (treatment 1), 0.1 (treatment 2), and 0.2% (treatment 3) for 30 days. The mean body weight of pigs supplemented with 0.1% and 0.2% TRP was significantly higher than that of the control group (41.66 ± 0.44, 42.59 ± 0.33 vs 40.38 ± 0.30 kg; p ≤ 0.05) which indicated the effect of TRP as growth enhancer. A significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in serum concentration of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was recorded in supplemented groups as compared to the control group. Creatinine kinase (U/l) decreased in all the treatment groups as compared to the control group. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased significantly after supplementation with 0.1% and 0.2% TRP in comparison to the control group. However, there was marked increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mg/dl) in all TRP-supplemented groups than the control group (27.67 ± 0.60 in T1, 32.76 ± 0.32 in T2, and 34.58 ± 0.37 in T3 vs. 23.73 ± 0.69 in control; p ≤ 0.05). Further, there was increase in antioxidant profile after TRP supplementation. Anti-inflammatory potentiality of TRP could also be appreciated since TRP supplementation downregulated (p ≤ 0.05) expression of IL-6, IL-1β, and IFN-γ. Therefore, we perceive that this conflated approach is an example of its own kind to focus on modification of health status of pigs for more productivity and augmentation of immune response., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: Particulate matter (PM) is one of the important components in air pollution that can cause endothelial vascular dysfunction through exacerbation of atherosclerosis and inflammation of the respiratory system. Increased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in blood plasma can be an indicator of oxidative stress. Then, macrophages can secrete proinflammatory cytokines that will stimulate immune cells and vascular endothelial cells to release inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrotic factor-α (TNF-α). Curcuma longa works by scavenging the active free radicals involved in the peroxidation process., Aims: This study aims to prove that the administration of C. longa can reduce MDA, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels in Rattus norvegicus exposed to soot particulates., Methods: The subjects of this study were 30 male rats which were divided into 5 treatment groups with the following: (C0): negative control; (C+): positive control; (T1): Treatment group 2, rats exposed to particulate soot at a concentration of 1,064 mg/m 3 for 8 hours and given C. longa at a dose of 1 mg/kg bw; (T2): Treatment group 3 was rats exposed to soot particulates at a concentration of 1,064 mg/m 3 for 8 hours and given C. longa at a dose of 2 mg/kg bw; (T3): Treatment group 4 was rats exposed to soot particulates at a concentration of 1,064 mg/m 3 for 8 hours and given C. longa at a dose of 3 mg/kg bw.Giving the C. longa extract orally with a probe every day for 30 days after treatment of exposure to soot. Examination of MDA, TNF-, and IL-6 levels with the ELISA method., Results: The administration of C. longa can reduce MDA while the lowest MDA levels were obtained in the T3 treatment with an average of 1.542 ± 0.231. The results of the description of the lowest levels of TNF-α were obtained in the C-treatment with an average of 55.981 ± 4.689. Then, the lowest levels of IL-6 were obtained in the C-treatment with an average of 2.292 ± 0.461., Conclusion: The results stated that the administration of C. longa could reduce MDA levels, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels. Curcuma longa as an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant play an effective role in inhibiting inflammation by decreasing IL-6 cytokine and TNF-α. Curcuma longa can inhibit lipid peroxidation initiated by free radicals and then reduce MDA levels., Competing Interests: All authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Since ancient times, medicinal plants are widely accepted to promote the health and wellness of animals and mankind. The medicinal plant-based therapies have limitations of delayed onset of action, inconsistent absorption, low bioavailability, oxidation, and poor solubility. The encapsulation studies suggested improved efficacy. Therefore, the present study attempts to evaluate the efficacy of Curcuma longa extracts encapsulated in Ethosome on wound healing model compared to crude extract. The Curcuma longa extract swere prepared by cold percolation method and total curcuminoid content was determined by Reverse phase-HPLC. Three Ethosomal suspensions (ETS1, ETS2, and ETS3) were prepared and characterized for particle distribution, morphology, and absorption spectrum by Zetasizer, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and FTIR respectively. The Ethosomal suspension with the highest entrapment efficiency was applied topically at a varying concentrations (0.25, 0.5, and 1 g/cm 2 ) on the surgically created wounds in rats. The efficacy of wound healing was evaluated by clinical observation, macroscopic evaluation of granulation tissue, colour digital image processing, and histology. The methanolic extract of Curcuma longa showed better antibacterial potential than ethanolic and aqueous. The total Curcuminoid content in the Curcuma longa rhizome was 4.03%. The size, PDI, zeta potential, and viscosity of Ethosomal suspension ranged from 34.8 to 371 nm, 0.236-1.178, 15.6-36.8mV, and 0.8460-0.8510, respectively. The ETS3 was found the most optimum combination with the highest entrapment efficiency and the topical application at a dose rate of 0.5 g/cm 2 and 1.0 g/cm 2 resulted in comparable wound contracture, pain score, histopathological score as compared to control groups.It was concluded that the Curcuma longa encapsulation in Ethosome resulted in improved wound appearance, granulation tissue score, and appearance with a shortened period of wound resolution at the cellular level as compared to crude extract., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Sarcopenia is the decline in skeletal muscle mass, strength, and functions, which decreases the quality of life in elderly people. This study investigated the suppressive effect of turmeric (Curcuma longa) extract (TE) on muscle atrophy in dexamethasone (DEX)-treated mice and C2C12 myotubes. DEX treatment significantly decreased the muscle weight and significantly increased Fbxo32 and Murf1 expression in mice, and these changes were suppressed by the supplementation of an AIN-93 based diet with 2% TE. A similar pattern was observed in FBXO32 and MuRF1 protein expression. In C2C12 myotubes, DEX treatment significantly increased FBXO32 and MuRF1 gene and protein expression, and these increases were significantly suppressed by TE supplementation at a concentration of 200 µg/mL. Furthermore, one of the five TE fractions, which were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography had a similar effect with TE supplementation. The present study proposes the suppressive effect of turmeric on sarcopenia.

The pharmacological attributes of turmeric have been extensively described and frequently related to the action of curcuminoids. However, there is also scientific evidence of the contribution of turmeric oil. Since the oil does not contain curcuminoids in its composition, it is crucial to better understand the therapeutic role of other constituents in turmeric. The present review discusses the pharmacokinetics of turmeric oil, pointing to the potential application of its active molecules as therapeutic compounds. In addition, the bioactivities of turmeric oil and its safety in preclinical and clinical studies were revised. This literature-based research intends to provide an updated overview to promote further research on turmeric oil and its constituents.

Curcuma longa and its constituents, mainly curcumin, showed various of pharmacological effects in previous studies. This review article provides updated and comprehensive experimental and clinical evidence regarding the effects of C. longa and curcumin on respiratory, allergic, and immunologic disorders. Using appropriate keywords, databases including PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus were searched until the end of October 2021. C. longa extracts and its constituent, curcumin, showed the relaxant effect on tracheal smooth muscle, which indicates their bronchodilatory effect in obstructive pulmonary diseases. The preventive effects of extracts of C. longa and curcumin were shown in experimental animal models of different respiratory diseases through antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. C. longa and curcumin also showed preventive effects on some lung disorders in the clinical studies. It was shown that the effects of C. longa on pulmonary diseases were mainly due to its constituent, curcumin. Pharmacological effects of C. longa extracts and curcumin on respiratory, allergic, and immunologic disorders indicate the possible therapeutic effect of the plant and curcumin on these diseases., (© 2021 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.)

Turmeric is one of the most used herbal supplements among cancer patients. It reportedly modulates the function of CYP450 enzymes and drug transporters. This study investigates the effect of turmeric on the pharmacokinetics of paclitaxel in breast cancer patients. This is a prospective longitudinal study with 60 breast cancer patients on treatment with single-agent paclitaxel and turmeric. The patients were followed up for two consecutive chemotherapy cycles, and their blood samples were collected, first without turmeric (first cycle) and the next after a 21-day concomitant administration of 2 g/day turmeric (second cycle). Plasma samples were quantified for paclitaxel concentration using High Performance Liquid Chromatograph with UV detector (HPLC-UV) method. The sparse concentration-time data of paclitaxel were subjected to population pharmacokinetic modeling, and then noncompartmental analysis (NCA) was performed on the simulated data to estimate the pharmacokinetic parameters of paclitaxel, before and after turmeric supplementation, for comparisons. The population pharmacokinetic parameters of paclitaxel differed from before to after turmeric supplementation. NCA of simulated concentration-time profiles showed a statistically significant reduction of 7.7% and 12.1% in AUC inf and Cmax, respectively. Given the small magnitude of the changes in pharmacokinetic parameters, the observed changes are not clinically relevant. Thereby, turmeric at the recommended dose can be combined safely with paclitaxel., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Loss of tubulin is associated with neurodegeneration and brain aging. Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) has frequently been employed as a spice in curry and traditional medications in the Indian subcontinent to attain longevity and better cognitive performance. We aimed to evaluate the unelucidated mechanism of how turmeric protects the brain to be an anti-aging agent. D. melanogaster was cultured on a regular diet and turmeric-supplemented diet. β-tubulin level and physiological traits including survivability, locomotor activity, fertility, tolerance to oxidative stress, and eye health were analyzed. Turmeric showed a hormetic effect, and 0.5% turmeric was the optimal dose in preventing aging. β-tubulin protein level was decreased in the brain of D. melanogaster upon aging, while a 0.5% turmeric-supplemented diet predominantly prevented this aging-induced loss of β-tubulin and degeneration of physiological traits as well as improved β-tubulin synthesis in the brain of D. melanogaster early to mid-age. The higher concentration (≥ 1%) of turmeric-supplemented diet decreased the β-tubulin level and degenerated many of the physiological traits of D. melanogaster. The turmeric concentration-dependent increase and decrease of β-tubulin level were consistent with the increment and decrement data obtained from the evaluated physiological traits. This correlation demonstrated that turmeric targets β-tubulin and has both beneficial and detrimental effects that depend on the concentration of turmeric. The findings of this study concluded that an optimal dosage of turmeric could maintain a healthy neuron and thus healthy aging, by preventing the loss and increasing the level of β-tubulin in the brain., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Bloating is a symptom frequently reported by subjects with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and small bowel dysbiosis, and Low FODMAP’s diet (LFD) has been used to treat them. Extracts of Curcumalonga and Boswelliaserrata share anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects that could be useful in the management of these clinical conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of curcumin and boswellia extracts (as Curcumin Boswellia Phytosome, CBP) and LFD on the relief of abdominal bloating in IBS subjects with small bowel dysbiosis, in comparison to LFD alone, in a 30-day supplementation, randomized trial. IBS participants were randomized to either the intervention (500 mg bid of CBP and LFD) or control arm (LFD). Small bowel dysbiosis has been defined by an increase of urinary indican with normal urinary skatole. A total of 67 subjects were recruited. The intervention group (33 subjects) showed a significant decrease (p < 0.0001) of bloating, abdominal pain, and indican values at the end of the study, when compared to the control group (34 subjects). Moreover, the subjects of the intervention group showed a significantly better (p < 0.0001) global assessment of efficacy (GAE) as compared to controls. In conclusion, in subjects with IBS and small bowel dysbiosis, abdominal bloating can be successfully reduced with a supplementation with CBP and LFD.

This study describes a newly developed method for the fast and straightforward differentiation of two turmeric species using Direct Analysis in Real Time mass spectrometry and miniaturized Near Infrared spectroscopy. Multivariate analyses (PCA and LDA) were performed on the mass spectrometric data, thus creating a powerful model for the discrimination of Curcumalonga and Curcumaxanthorrhiza. Cross-validation of the model revealed correctness-scores of 100% with 20-fold as well as leave-one-out validation techniques. To further estimate the models prediction power, seven retail samples of turmeric powder were analyzed and assorted to a species. Looking for a fast, non-invasive, cost-efficient and laboratory independent method, miniaturized NIR spectrometers offer an alternative for quality control of turmeric species. However, different technologies implemented to compensate for their small size, lead to different applicability of these spectrometers. Therefore, we investigated the three handheld spectrometers microPHAZIR, MicroNIR 2200 and MicroNIR 1700ES for their application in spice analysis in hyphenation to PCA, LDA and ANN methods used for the discriminant analysis. While microPHAZIR proved to be the most valuable device for differentiating C.longa and C.xanthorrhiza, MicroNIR 1700ES offered the worst results. These findings are interpreted on the basis of a quantum chemical simulation of the NIR spectrum of curcumin as the representative constituent. It was found that the information accessible to MicroNIR 1700ES that is relevant to the analyzed constituents is located in the spectral region prone to interferences with the matrix, likely limiting the performance of this spectrometer in this analytical scenario., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The Curcuma longa plant is endowed with multiple traditional and therapeutic utilities and is here explored for its phytochemical constituents and cytotoxic potential. Turmeric rhizomes were extracted from three different solvents and screened for the presence of different phytochemical constituents, observation of which indicated that the polar solvents favoured extraction of greater versatile phytochemical constituents. These extracts were investigated for their cytotoxic potential by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay on three different of cell lines including SCC-29B (oral cancer cell line), DU-145 (prostate cancer cell line) and the Vero cell line (healthy cell line/non-cancerous cell line). This assay was performed by taking three extracts from isolated curcuminoids and a pure bioactive compound bisdemethoxycurcumin (BD). Bisdemethoxycurcumin was isolated from curcuminoids and purified by column and thin-layer chromatography, and its structural characterisation was performed with different spectroscopic techniques such as FTIR, NMR ( 1 H Proton and 13 C Carbon-NMR) and LC-MS. Amongst the extracts, the ethanolic extracts exhibited stronger cytotoxic potential against the oral cancer cell line (SCC-29B) with an IC 50 value of 11.27 μg/mL, and that this was too low of a cytotoxicity against the Vero cell line. Although, curcuminoids have also shown a comparable cytotoxic potential against SCC-29B (IC 50 value 16.79 μg/mL), it was not as potent against the ethanolic extract, and it was even found to be cytotoxic against healthy cell lines at a very low dose. While considering the isolated compound, bisdemethoxycurcumin, it also possessed a cytotoxic potential against the prostate cancer cell line (DU-145) (IC 50 value of 93.28 μg/mL), but was quite safe for the healthy cell line in comparison to doxorubicin.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) and its constituent, curcumin, have been used for their therapeutic properties for a long time. Most of the medicinal impacts of turmeric and curcumin might be attributed to their anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, and antioxidant effects. In the present review, the preventive and therapeutic potentials of turmeric and its active constituent, curcumin, on inflammatory disorders and pain as well as patents related to their analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, have been summarized to highlight their value on human health. A literature review was accomplished in Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Google Patent, Patentscope, and US Patent. Several documents and patents disclosed the significance of turmeric and curcumin to apply in several therapeutic, medicinal, and pharmaceutical fields. These phytocompounds could be applied as a supplementary therapy in phytotherapy, inflammatory disorders such as arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases, osteoarthritis, psoriasis, dermatitis, and different types of pain including neuropathic pain. However, because of inadequate clinical trials, further high-quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of the plant. Consistent with the human tendency to the usage of phytocompounds rather than synthetic drugs, particular consideration must be dedicated to bond the worth of turmeric and curcumin from basic sciences to clinical applications., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Curcuminoids from turmeric rhizome have significant health benefits but low bioavailability., Objectives: To assess the pharmacokinetics of a novel natural turmeric dried colloidal suspension compared with 4 other turmeric formulations (including a standardized extract) at their respective recommended dosages., Methods: Thirty healthy men and women (18 to 45 y old) were enrolled in a randomized, open-labeled, crossover trial, and sequentially consumed single oral doses of standard turmeric extract (1500 mg), liquid micellar preparation (1000 mg), piperine-curcuminoid combination (1515 mg), phytosome formulation (1000 mg), or the dried colloidal suspension (300 mg). Eleven blood samples were obtained over 24 h, plasma was extracted with or without deconjugation with β-glucuronidase or sulfatase, and ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography/tandem MS was used to quantify the 3 parent curcuminoids and 12 metabolites. Classical pharmacokinetics parameters were derived., Results: The total AUC values of unconjugated curcuminoids were highly variable within participants, with no significant differences between formulations. However, the AUC values for total curcuminoids (including all metabolites) showed significant product effects. Indeed, the micellar preparation delivered higher levels of total curcuminoids than any other formulation (8540 ng·h/mL), reaching significance when compared with the dried colloidal suspension and standard extract (6520 and 5080 ng·h/mL, respectively). After dose normalization, both micellar and dried colloidal formulations showed significantly higher AUC levels than the standard extract (respectively 136 and 72.9, compared with 3.7 ng·h/mL/mg). Total curcuminoid absorption levels were also significantly higher for the dried colloidal suspension when compared with either piperine or phytosome formulations. Interestingly, no significant differences were observed between the piperine-curcuminoid combination and the standard extract. No serious adverse events were reported., Conclusions: The administration of a low dose of the novel natural dried colloidal suspension provided high unconjugated and conjugated curcuminoid absorption, with significant beneficial differences when compared with the high dose of standard extract.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03621865., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition.)

Background: Knowledge on food neophobia among African consumers is scarce. Yet a good understanding in this area is essential to support the acceptance of new foods, for instance, when fortifying familiar foods to improve the health and nutritional status of the populace. In this paper, food neophobia among Nigerian consumers was assessed by their attitudes towards unfamiliar beverages, namely turmeric-fortified drinks. Turmeric was chosen as the Nigerian government is stimulating its production for income generation, but the spice is not commonly used in Nigerian foods and drinks., Results: Familiar street-vended drinks, i.e. soymilk and the hibiscus-based drink zobo, were fortified with turmeric. Respondents (483) were allowed to try both the familiar and unfamiliar (turmeric-fortified) drinks. Subjects also filled in a 20-item questionnaire concerning attitudes toward food and eating. Food neophobia was measured by the Food Attitude Survey (FAS) instrument ratings. Using the FAS, people who reported liking the fortified drinks ('likers') were compared with those who disliked the drinks ('dislikers') and those who were unwilling to try the drinks ('will not tryers'). Males were found to be more food neophobic than females. Middle-class income earners, the age group of 26-35 years and respondents with the highest education levels also showed a more food neophobic attitude towards turmeric-fortified drinks., Conclusion: Practical insights are given regarding the introduction of novel foods to Nigerian consumers by paying attention to attitudes from respondents with different demographic characteristics. The use of influencers seems to be a promising approach to address food neophobia in Nigeria. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2020 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Objectives: Increasing hypertension incidence in Sub-Sahara Africa and the current cost of management of the metabolic disorder has necessitated research on medicinal plants employed in African Traditional Medicine for hypertension. Thus, this study evaluated antihypertensive effect of Annona muricata leaves or Curcuma longa rhizomes in experimentally-induced hypertensive male Wistar rats (n=70) which were unilaterally nephrectomized and daily loaded with 1% salt. Cardiovascular and haematological changes, as well as urinalysis were determined., Methods: Rats were uninephrectomized and NaCl (1%) included in drinking water for 42 days. Extract-treated hypertensive rats were compared to normotensive, untreated hypertensive and hypertensive rats treated with lisinopril (5 mg/70 kg) or hydrochlorothiazide (12.5 mg/70 kg). A. muricata extract or C. longa extract were administered at 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg. Blood pressure (systolic, diastolic and mean arterial) and electrocardiogram was measured on day 41. Twenty-four-hour urine samples were collected from day 42. Blood samples were collected on day 43 for haematology (PCV, red cell indices, WBC and its differentials, and platelets)., Results: A. muricata or C. longa extracts caused a decline in elevated blood pressure of hypertensive rats. Heart rate and QT segment reduction coupled with prolonged QRS duration were reversed in extract-treated rats, with significant increases in hemogram parameters indicating increased blood viscosity. Also, leukocyturia, proteinuria and ketonuria with increased urine alkalinity, urobilinogen and specific gravity which are classical indicators of poor prognostic outcomes in hypertension were reversed in extract-treated rats., Conclusions: In conclusion, A. muricata and C. longa have cardioprotective effect with reversal of derangements in haemogram and urinalysis associated with hypertension., (© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

The study reveals the effect of natural dyes Curcuma longa (rhizome) and Nyctanthes arbor-tristis (corolla tube) on various plant tissues under fluorescence microscopy. The results indicated that the auto-fluorescence was seen in some of the tissues of unstained monocot and dicot stem sections. The use of Curcuma longa dye along with different chemical mordants leads to various colors and intensity of fluorescence under different excitation filters (violet: 400-450; blue: 450-500; green: 500-570; yellow: 570-610 and red: 610-750 nm) examined. The extract of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis along with the mordants lead to bluish-orange fluorescence of vascular tissues under violet excitation filter. Among the dyes evaluated, Nyctanthes arbor-tristis showed better fluorescence than the Curcuma longa dye. Hence, the dye extracted from the corolla tube of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis is a potential natural dye and could be used as biological stain for staining plant tissues., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Curcuma longa (C. longa) or turmeric is a plant with a long history of use in traditional medicine, especially for treating inflammatory conditions C. longa and its main constituent, curcumin (CUR), showed various pharmacological effects such as antioxidant and anti-microbial properties. The updated knowledge of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects of C. longa and CUR is provided in this review article. Pharmacological effects of C. longa, and CUR, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties, were searched using various databases and appropriate keywords until September 2020. Various studies showed anti-inflammatory effects of C. longa and CUR, including decreased white blood cell, neutrophil, and eosinophil numbers, and its protective effects on serum levels of inflammatory mediators such as phospholipase A2 and total protein in different inflammatory disorders. The antioxidant effects of C. longa and CUR were also reported in several studies. The plant extracts and CUR decreased malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels but increased thiol, superoxide dismutase, and catalase levels in oxidative stress conditions. Treatment with C. longa and CUR also improved immunoglobulin E (Ig)E, pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 4 (IL)-4, transforming growth factor-beta, IL-17, interferon-gamma levels, and type 1/type 2 helper cells (Th1)/(Th2) ratio in conditions with disturbance in the immune system. Therefore C. longa and CUR showed anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects, indicating a potential therapeutic effect of the plant and its constituent, CUR, for treating of inflammatory, oxidative, and immune dysregulation disorders., (© 2021 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.)

This study evaluates the effects of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and Curcuma longa on testicular histology, stereological parameters, body weight and relative organ weights, seminal fluid, testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, the antioxidant marker malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in adult male Wistar rat. Thirty-six adult male Wistar rats were grouped into A: distilled water (control); B: 100 mg/kg C. longa; C: 200 mg/kg C. longa; D: HAART only; E: HAART + 100 mg/kg C. longa; and F: HAART + 200 mg/kg C. longa. The rats were sacrificed after 8 weeks. Results showed a significant increase in abnormal morphology in group D when compared with group A. In group D, progressive sperm motility was significantly decreased compared with group F. The GSH level was significantly increased in group D compared with control group A, group E and group F. Histomorphological studies showed that HAART caused loss of germ cells and widening tubule lumen which were improved and partially restored by C. longa. This study suggests that C. longa improves testicular morphology and ameliorates HAART-induced toxicity. Further studies confirming putative mechanisms are required., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

This study aims to evaluate the analgesic and modulating effect of Curcuma longa and Miconia albicans herbal medicines in knee's osteoarthritis (OA) treatment. This longitudinal study evaluated 24 patients with OA. The patients were divided into three groups: ibuprofen (1200 mg/day), C. longa (1000 mg/day) and M. albicans (1000 mg/day). The medications were applied orally for 30 days. The synovial fluid of the knee joint was collect at the first (day 0) and the last medical (day 30) consultation. The groups treated with herbal medicines presented the same results when compared to Ibuprofen. The comparison of the means of Total WOMAC for M. albicans before and after treatment presented a statistically significant difference (mean day 0 = 57.19; mean day 30 = 31.02) as well as variation of Total WOMAC for C. longa (mean day 0 = 54.79; mean day 30 = 37.08). The WOMAC Total and the VASP were compared, it was found that there was a significant decrease in the means in the C. longa and M. albicans groups, as well as in the Ibuprofen group after treatment. The study demonstrated that the treatment of knee OA with C. longa or M. albicans positively interferes with patients pain and functionality, decreased WOMAC and VASP scores, leading to functional improvement of these patients. This is the first clinical study demonstrating the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect on knee osteoarthritis from M. albicans comparable to Ibuprofen drug.

Turmeric extracts (TEs) have been shown to be suitable as a pain treatment for human joint arthritis. In a pilot, randomized clinical trial, 68 individuals with mild/moderate knee joint pain (KJP) consumed a new formulation of water-soluble TEs and insoluble curcuminoids (B-Turmactive ® ) or brewer's yeast as a placebo for 1 week. Our hypothesis was that B-Turmactive would have a short-term analgesic effect on KJP measured by the self-reported Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). After 3 days and 1 week, both treatments reduced pain when walking on a flat surface ( P  < .01), going up or down stairs ( P  < .001), and sitting or lying ( P  < .05), but only B-Turmactive reduced pain at night while in bed and in an upright standing position ( P  < .01). Concerning global KJP, it was reduced by both treatments after 3 days and 1 week of the intervention ( P  < .001), being less with B-Turmactive after 1 week ( P  = .012 vs. 3 weeks). Although no intertreatment differences were observed, only B-Turmactive decreased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels ( P  = .045) at 1 week, which indicates a prompt analgesic effect mediated by a decrease in inflammatory status.

Aims: Several cases of acute non-infectious cholestatic hepatitis recently appeared in Italy following consumption of Curcuma longa-containing dietary supplements. The aim of this research was to describe the Tuscan (Italy) cases of acute hepatitis and to compare them with similar cases of hepatotoxicity published in the literature by performing a systematic review., Methods: Records of Tuscan cases of acute hepatitis were obtained from the Italian Phytovigilance system. Each spontaneous report was analysed in order to collect all relevant clinical information of patients and information concerning the Curcuma longa-containing dietary supplement. Moreover, both the RUCAM and WHO-UMC systems were used to evaluate the causal relationship between the use of dietary supplement and acute hepatitis. A systematic literature review was performed in MEDLINE and Embase and all case-reports and case-series published in English were included., Results: Seven cases of acute hepatitis occurring in Tuscany up to September 2019 are described. In all cases, hepatotoxicity was associated with Curcuma longa formulations with high bioavailability and high dosage of curcumin/curcuminoids. The causal relationship was also supported by the positive dechallenge observed in most cases. In the 23 cases identified through the systematic review, the majority of patients were concomitantly exposed to at least one other medication and 16 of them experienced a positive dechallenge., Conclusions: Within the frame of poorly controlled and regulated products, such as dietary supplements, the evaluation of Italian cases of Curcuma longa-induced acute hepatitis and the systematic review of literature confirmed the association between Curcuma longa and liver injury., (© 2020 The British Pharmacological Society.)

Mammalian reproduction is a highly regulated process that can be distorted following exposure to synthetic antimicrobial preservatives like butylparaben (BP). Besides, studies have not investigated the potential antioxidant effects of turmeric on BP-provoked reprotoxicity. The present research was planned on prepubertal mice, orally treated with BP (150 μg/g body weight/day) with and without Curcuma longa (turmeric) (400 μg/mice/day) from postnatal day 35 to 65 routinely. Results showed an insignificant reduction in body weight of both sexes but contrary to these, gonadal weight increased significantly in PB-exposed mice. Additionally, elevated levels of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone while decreased estrogen levels were observed in BP-treated females against control. Sperm count and motility were disturbed, coupled with abnormal sperm morphology in BP-intoxicated group. These findings were synchronized with a decreased testosterone levels in the same group as compared with control. The follicular count revealed reduction in the number of antral follicles while an increase in empty follicles. The BP also significantly increased lipid peroxidation and decreased glutathione content, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities, while the morphometric, biochemical, and histological deviations were less pronounced in the group, which was co-administered with BP and turmeric. Results indicated that turmeric has antioxidant potential to protect BP-induced oxidative stress and reprotoxicity in mice.

Various studies have investigated whether turmeric, or isolated curcumin, affects serum levels of uric acid. However, some studies have been hampered by problems in reliably measuring serum uric acid. For example, in one trial lasting 8 weeks, serum uric acid levels decreased ( p  < 0.01) for the control group, while in another 8-week trial serum uric acid levels increased ( p  < 0.01) for the control group.

The rhizome of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) has been used as an herbal medicine, coloring agent, spice, and food additive for thousands of years in different parts of the world particularly in Asian countries. It has been used for a range of diseases in many traditional medical schools, including Islamic traditional medicine, Chinese traditional medicine, and Ayurveda. It has been used mainly for digestive problems, as a cardio-, hepato-, and neuroprotective agent as well as in many inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and for enhancing immune system. Curcumin, a diarylheptanoid derivative found in turmeric, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties; controls obesity and metabolic problems; and improves memory and mood disorders. Therapeutically, curcumin exhibits promising potential in preclinical and clinical studies and is currently in human trials for a variety of conditions, including metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine, premenstrual syndrome, ulcerative colitis, knee osteoarthritis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, atherosclerosis, liver cirrhosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, depression, psoriasis, and Alzheimer's disease. Among all beneficial activities reported for curcumin, the research toward the obesity and metabolic-preventing/suppressing aspects of curcumin is growing. These findings emphasize that most of the traditional applications of turmeric is due to the presence of its key constituent, curcumin. According to the traditional background of turmeric use and clinical values of curcumin, further preclinical studies for unstudied properties and clinical studies with larger sample sizes for confirmed activities are expected., (© 2021. The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

The use of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as a new extraction medium is a step towards the development of green and sustainable technology. In the present study, nine DESs based on choline chloride acids, alcohols, and sugar were screened to study the extraction of curcuminoids from Curcuma longa L. Choline chloride and lactic acid DES at 1:1 M ratio gave the maximum extent of extraction. Further, DES based extraction was intensified using ultrasound. The impact of various process parameters such as % (v/v) water in DES, % (w/v) solid loading, particle size, ultrasound power intensity, and pulse mode operation of ultrasound was studied. The maximum curcuminoids yield of 77.13 mg/g was achieved using ultrasound assisted DES (UA-DES) based extraction in 20% water content DES at 5% solid loading and 0.355 mm particle size with 70.8 W/cm 2 power intensity and 60% (6 sec ON and 4 sec OFF) duty cycle at 30 ± 2 °C in 20 min of irradiation time. Kinetics of UA-DES extraction was explained using Peleg's model and concluded that it is compatible with the experimental data. Additionally, anti-solvent (water) precipitation technique was applied, which resulted in 41.97% recovery of curcuminoids with 82.22% purity from UA-DES extract in 8 h of incubation at 0 °C. The comparison was made between conventional Soxhlet, batch, DES and UA-DES based processes on the basis of yield, time, solvent requirement, temperature, energy consumption, and process cost. The developed UA-DES based extraction can be an efficient, cost effective, and green alternative to conventional solvent extraction for curcuminoids., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Phytochemical investigation of an extract of the rhizome of Curcuma longa L., resulted in the identification of four undescribed bisabolane sesquiterpenoids, namely as bisacurone D-G (1-4). With the aid of comprehensive spectroscopic techniques (NMR, IR, UV, MS), the structures of all isolated compounds were elucidated and subsequently screened for both anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic biological activities, Compounds 1 and 2 showed moderate inhibitory activity toward LPS-induced NO production on RAW 264.7 macrophages., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study was conducted to determine if diets supplemented with turmeric powder (Curcuma longa) affected the reversible sterilization of Pseudotropheus socolofi. Three experimental diets were formulated to contain 0%, 10%, and 14% turmeric powder. The fish (mean weight 13 g) were randomly divided into groups consisting of 1 male and 4 females for each aquarium and were kept together for 137 days. The control group was fed a diet without turmeric, while the others were fed diets with turmeric for the first 75 days. All groups were then fed the control diet from day 75 to 137. The results showed that turmeric powder supplementation did not affect growth performance (p ˃ 0.05). A histopathological examination of the ovaries, performed on two samples on days 75 and 137, revealed that high doses of turmeric decreased number of ovulated vitellogenic follicles and ovarian activity. Moreover, immature follicle density was excessive in groups fed turmeric powder. However, the number of ovulated vitellogenic follicles increased in groups fed diets containing 10% and 14% turmeric after feeding them with the turmeric-free control diet from day 75 to 137. In conclusion, the study revealed that supplementing diets with high ratios of turmeric can influence ovarian activity; however, these effects can be reversed by ceasing supplementation.

The therapeutic applications of curcumin, a phenolic compound extracted from Curcuma species, is limited due to poor bioavailability. To enhance the bioavailability, self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDS) with curcumin were prepared. Ethyl oleate, Tween 80, and Transcutol ® P with surfactant: co-surfactant ratio of 2:1 w/w was selected based on the solubility and pseudo-ternary phase diagrams. The optimized formulation (S-Eo3) was evaluated for use of spice oleoresins as curcumin bioenhancers. The oleophilic phase of curcumin containing SMEDDS formulations was then successfully modified by using bioactive oleoresins extracted from two Curcuma species, viz. C. longa (S-CL1) and C. aromatica (S-CA1). The curcumin content in S-Eo3, S-CL1, and S-CA1 were 69.6 ± 0.23, 82.4 ± 0.62, and 88.8 ± 0.46 mg/g, respectively. Thus, by the partial modification of oleophilic phase of SMEDDS with spice oleoresin (acting as bioenhancer) resulted in ∼88 k improvement of curcumin aqueous solubility. The pharmacokinetic study in male Wistar rats showed that the relative bioavailability of curcumin in S-CL1 and S-CA1 were 26- and 29-fold vis-à-vis 22-fold in S-Eo3 compared to curcumin suspension. All the SMEDDS formulations were stable for three months as established by ICH guidelines.

The in vitro tests in current research employ simple culture methods that fail to mimic the real human tissue. In this study, we report drug testing with a 'pumpless skin-on-a-chip' that mimics the structural and functional responses of human skin. This model is a skin equivalent constituting two layers of the skin, dermis and epidermis, developed using human primary fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Using the gravity flow device system, the medium was rotated at an angle of 15 degrees on both sides so as to circulate through the pumpless skin-on-a-chip microfluidic channel. This pumpless skin-on-a-chip is composed of upper and lower chips, and is manufactured using porous membranes so that medium can be diffused and supplied to the skin equivalent. Drug testing was performed using Curcuma longa leaf extract (CLLE), a natural product cosmetic ingredient, to evaluate the usefulness of the chip and the efficacy of the cosmetic ingredient. It was found that the skin barrier function of the skin epidermis layer is enhanced to exhibit antiaging effects. This result indicates that the pumpless skin-on-a-chip model can be potentially used not only in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries but also in clinical applications as an alternative to animal studies.

One new bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoid, together with four known bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoid derivatives and seven phenolics, was isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic (IR, HR-ESI-MS, and NMR) data analysis. The possible anti-Alzheimer's disease (AD) activities of the isolated compounds were also evaluated using Caenorhabditis elegans AD pathological model, and 1β-hydroxybisabola-2,10-dien-4-one had the highest possible anti-AD activity., (© 2020 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Curcuma longa L. is used as food supplement to prevent diseases, although limited studies have been performed on healthy subjects up to now. In the present work, an untargeted UPLC-MS metabolomics approach was applied to study the changes of 24-hours urinary composition on healthy volunteers due to a 28-days daily consumption of a dried C. longa extract containing a standardized amount of curcuminoids. Changes in the excretion of different metabolites were observed after supplementation. Curcumin and two metabolic derivatives (hexahydrocurcumin and dihydrocurcumin) were detected in urine, indicating the absorption of the main curcuminoid from the extract and its further metabolism by liver and gut microbiota. For the first time ar-turmerone, the main apolar constituent of curcuma, was detected in urine in intact form, and its presence was confirmed by a targeted GC-MS analysis. The increase of tetranor-PGJM and tetranor-PGDM, two prostaglandin-D2 metabolites, was observed, being related to the anti-inflammatory effect exerted by curcuma. The variation of the amounts of HPAG, PAG, proline-betaine and hydroxyphenyllactic acid indicate that the supplementation induced changes to the activity of gut microbiota. Finally, the reduced excretion of niacin metabolites (nicotinuric acid, trigonelline and 2PY) and medium- and short-chain acylcarnitines suggests that curcuma could induce the mitochondrial β-oxidation of fatty acids for energy production in healthy subjects. Overall, the results indicate that a prolonged daily consumption of a dried curcuma extract exerts multiple effects on healthy subjects, furthermore they show the opportunity offered by untargeted metabolomics for the study of the bioactivity of natural extracts in healthy human volunteers., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Anti-inflammatory effect of Curcuma longa ( C. longa ) was shown previously. In the present study, the effect of the plant on tracheal responsiveness and lung pathological features in ovalbumin-sensitized rats was evaluated. Six groups of rats including control (C), ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized (S), S groups treated with C. longa (CL; 0.75, 1.50, and 3.00 mg/ml equal to 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg/day) and dexamethasone (D; 1.25 μg/ml) were studied (n=8 in each group). The extract of C. longa and dexamethasone were administered with daily drinking water of animals during sensitization period (for 21 days). Following the treatment period, tracheal responsiveness to methacholine and ovalbumin and lung pathological features was investigated. Tracheal responsiveness to methacholine and OVA and lung pathological scores were increased in group S compared to controls (p<0.01 to p<0.001); however, these parameters in groups treated with dexamethasone and two higher concentrations of C. longa were significantly decreased compared to group S (p<0.05 to p<0.001). Tracheal responsiveness to methacholine was decreased from 50 to 400% due to the extract treatment. All concentrations of C. longa significantly decreased interstitial fibrosis compared to group S (p<0.05 to p<0.001). Treatment with the extract resulted to improvement of pathological changes from 20 to 70%. These results showed a preventive effect for C. longa extract on tracheal responsiveness and lung pathological insults in sensitized rats which were similar or even more than those of dexamethasone at used concentrations.

A new seco-cadinane sesquiterpenoid (curcumane C, 1) and a pair of new nor-bisabolene enantiomers [(+)- and (-)-curcumane D, 2a and 2b] were isolated from C. longa. Compound 1 possesses an unusual 4,5-seco-cadinane skeleton with a tetrahydrophthalide moiety, while 2a and 2b contain an unusual 15-nor-bisabolene skeleton with a chromone core. All compounds exhibited significant vasorelaxant effects against KCl-induced contraction of rat aortic rings. Compound 1 also exhibited a vasorelaxant effect against phenylephrine-induced contraction of rat aortic rings. Meanwhile, compound 1 showed a stronger vasorelaxant effect in endothelium-intact rat aortic rings compared with endothelium-denuded rat aortic rings, indicating that vasodilation by 1 involved both endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent pathways. Furthermore, compound 1 increased the NO content in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and its vasorelaxant effect could be attenuated by treatment with L-NAME, an endothelium NO synthase inhibitor. Thus, the underlying vasodilatory mechanisms of 1 may be mediated via abrogation of extracellular Ca 2+ influx and regulation of NO release in vascular endothelial cells., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by increased central arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction leading to increased risk of cardiovascular complications. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of Curcuma longa on arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This randomized controlled trial was conducted in 136 patients of type 2 diabetes. Among them, 114 completed at least one follow-up visit and included for data analysis. Arterial stiffness parameters were measured at baseline and every month for 3 months and endothelial dysfunction markers at baseline and after 3 months of treatment with C. longa or placebo. These parameters were compared between the two groups. Both C. longa and placebo groups were comparable at baseline. After 3 months of treatment, C. longa produced significant reduction from baseline in carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (p = .002), left brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (p = .001), aortic augmentation pressure (p = .007), aortic augmentation index (p = .007), and aortic augmentation index at heart rate 75 (p = .018) as compared with the placebo group. Three months treatment with C. longa significantly decreases arterial stiffness as compared with placebo in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Current methods for the authentication of essential oils focus on analyzing their chemical composition. This study describes the use of nanofluidic protein post-translational modification (PTM) profiling to differentiate essential oils by analyzing their biochemical effects. Protein PTM profiling was used to measure the effects of four essential oils, copaiba, mandarin, Melissa, and turmeric, on the phosphorylation of MEK1, MEK2, and ERK1/2 in the MAPK signaling pathway; Akt and 4EBP1 in the pI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway; and STAT3 in the JAK/STAT signaling pathway in cultured HepG2 cells. The gain or loss of the phosphorylation of these proteins served as direct read-outs for the positive or negative regulatory effects of essential oils on their respective signaling pathways. Furthermore, protein PTM profiling and GC-MS were employed side-by-side to assess the quality of the essential oils. In general, protein PTM profiling data concurred with GC-MS data on the identification of adulterated mandarin, Melissa, and turmeric essential oils. Most interestingly, protein PTM profiling data identified the differences in biochemical effects between copaiba essential oils, which were indistinguishable with GC-MS data on their chemical composition. Taken together, nanofluidic protein PTM profiling represents a robust method for the assessment of the quality and therapeutic potential of essential oils.

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), known as sleeping sickness and caused by Trypanosoma brucei , is threatening low-income populations in sub-Saharan African countries with 61 million people at risk of infection. In order to discover new natural products against HAT, thirty-seven Vietnamese essential oils (EOs) were screened for their activity in vitro on Trypanosoma brucei brucei ( Tbb ) and cytotoxicity on mammalian cells (WI38, J774). Based on the selectivity indices (SIs), the more active and selective EOs were analyzed by gas chromatography. The anti-trypanosomal activity and cytotoxicity of some major compounds (isolated or commercial) were also determined. Our results showed for the first time the selective anti-trypanosomal effect of four EOs, extracted from three Zingiberaceae species ( Curcuma longa , Curcuma zedoaria , and Zingiber officinale ) and one Lauraceae species ( Litsea cubeba ) with IC 50 values of 3.17 ± 0.72, 2.51 ± 1.08, 3.10 ± 0.08, and 2.67 ± 1.12 nL/mL respectively and SI > 10. Identified compounds accounted for more than 85% for each of them. Among the five major components of Curcuma longa EO, curlone is the most promising anti-trypanosomal candidate with an IC 50 of 1.38 ± 0.45 µg/mL and SIs of 31.7 and 18.2 compared to WI38 and J774 respectively.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of turmeric powder dietary supplementation on the histology of visceral organs and reproductive performance of Pseudotropheus acei. The fish were fed dietary additions of 0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, and 7% turmeric powder. Each treatment was replicated three times. There were one male and four female fish with a mean weight of 6 g in each replicate. The fish were fed ad libitum for 90 days. There were no differences in fertility rate, fecundity rate, hatching rate, egg diameter, and larvae survival rate among groups (P < 0.05). Ovulation frequency and the percent of spawning broodstock were less in the 7% and 5% turmeric-supplemented group (P < 0.05), while there were no effects of treatment in the 1%, and 3% groups compared with the control group. Observations in histopathological examinations indicated there were normal tissue structures in the control, 1% and 3% turmeric-supplemented groups, while the addition of 5% and 7% turmeric induced a degeneration of and decrease in number of observable ovarian follicles. In addition, there was a normal liver structure in the control and the 1% and 3% turmeric-supplemented groups and slight to severe lipidosis in the 5% and 7% turmeric-supplemented groups. Also, the supplementation of larger amounts of turmeric induced enteritis and the slight to severe side effects on the relevant organs. These results indicate that supplementing of diets with turmeric powder in amounts of 5% and 7% suppressed ovarian follicle development, and extended periods between times of spawning which resulted in subfertility of broodstocks., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Curcuma longa from Zingiberaceae belongs to the major spices consumed around the world, known from its cholagogue, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Lack of data on the activity of single components of turmeric extract encouraged the authors to apply TLC (thin-layer chromatography) based bioautography studies to reveal its antimicrobial constituents and construct a universal platform for the bioactivity assessment of crude extracts, with help of a freeware ImageJ software. This optimized chromatographic bioassay performed on diethyl ether and methanol extracts of Curcuma longa was successfully applied on the total extract and revealed the antimicrobial potential of single components against a variety of Gram-positive strains, with no need for their isolation from the mixture. The obtained results were further confronted with a classic microdilution antimicrobial assay on the isolates, purified from the crude extracts by centrifugal partition chromatography in the following solvent system: heptane-chloroform-methanol-water (5:6:3:2) ( v / v / v / v ).

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The genus Curcuma, which is the most important source of curcumin, has been widely used in different traditional medicines. Various species of Curcuma have long been used for several purposes such as healing wounds, liver disorders, jaundice and also as a blood purifier., Aim of the Study: This review focused on the ethnopharmacological uses and phytochemical aspects of Curcuma. Additionally, in this study, the different properties of two species of Curcuma in Islamic Traditional Medicine (ITM), C. longa and C. zedoaria, as well as their pharmacological aspects in modern medicine are reviewed., Materials and Methods: ITM literatures were searched to find Curcuma's applications. Also, electronic databases including PubMed and Scopus were searched to obtain studies giving any in vitro, in vivo or human evidence of the efficacy of C. longa and C. zedoaria in the treatment of different diseases. ChemOffice software was used to find chemical structures., Results: The analysis showed that ethno-medical uses of Curcuma have been recorded for centuries. Approximately, 427 chemical compounds have been isolated and identified from Curcuma spp. This genus is rich in flavonoids, tannins, anthocyanin, phenolic compounds, oil, organic acids and inorganic compounds. Curcumin is one of the main active ingredients in Curcuma which has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Besides, pharmacological studies have indicated wide range of Curcuma's activities, such as hepato-protective, antifungal, antihypertensive and neuroprotective., Conclusions: In this study, we reviewed various studies conducted on ethno-medicinal, ITM properties and photochemistry of Curcuma spp. Also, pharmacological activities of two species, C. longa and C. zedoaria are summarized. Pre-clinical investigations have demonstrated some of the traditional aspects of Curcuma, such as wound healing, anti-arthritic, anti-tumor and liver protective activities. These could be related to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Curcuma which might be due to high amounts of phenolic compounds. Curcuma is mentioned to have neural tonic properties in ITM which have been confirmed by some animal studies. Considering various preclinical studies on C. longa and C. zedoaria and their active ingredient, curcumin, randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm their promise as a clinically effective hepato and neuro-protective agents., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Crohn's Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) result from an overreaction of the bowel to multifactorial stimuli leading to discomfort, pain, and it is associated with high morbidity and lethality. The medications commonly used are expensive and associated with multiple side effects. Curcuma longa exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions and has shown positive effects on CD and UC treatment, possibly due to the presence of curcuminoids. The objective of this review was to evaluate the role of curcuminoids in the treatment of IBD. A search for articles associating curcuminoids and CD and UC was performed using MEDLINE-PubMed. It has been found that curcumin can reduce oxidative stress and inhibit the migration of neutrophils and inducible nitric oxide synthase in the intestine. It may also improve micro and macroscopic lesions, prevent apoptosis of intestinal cells and also induce the restoration of the mitogen-activated protein kinase immune reaction. As the incidence of CD and UC is growing in many populations, there is an urgency to find an appropriate and accessible therapeutic approach to improve quality of life of patients. The use of curcumin is cheap, efficient and associated with no side effects, and may become an alternative to the IBD treatment.

Curcumin is a polyphenol present in the rhizomes of the species Curcuma longa L. ("turmeric," Zingiberaceae), which has been used for centuries as an anti-inflammatory. We aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of C. longa in renal injury induced by doxorubicin (DOX, 3.5 mg.kg -1 IV). We studied four groups of Wistar rats: two groups with DOX-induced kidney injury, one fed with standard food and another with standard food mixed with C. longa (5 mg.g -1 ). Two other control groups without kidney injury were fed with the same foods. We measured albuminuria, body weight, and food intake every 2 weeks. After 8 weeks, treatment with C. longa did not change albuminuria, but it significantly attenuated the excretion of urinary inflammatory markers monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and significantly attenuated immunostaining for desmin, vimentin, and ED-1 + cells in renal tissues of rats with DOX-induced kidney injury. In addition, treatment with C. longa resulted in significantly lower glomerular and tubule interstitial injury scores, compared with that in the DOX-STD group. In conclusion, administration of powdered rhizomes of C. longa for 8 weeks to rats with DOX-induced kidney injury did not reduce albuminuria but led to a significant decrease in urinary inflammatory markers MCP-1 and TGF-β and decreased histopathological alterations and immunostaining for desmin, vimentin, and ED-1 + cells kidneys tissues., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

We wished to search for the compounds contributing to the anti-inflammatory effects of the water extract of Curcuma longa (WEC). WEC was fractioned and the fractions were evaluated with regard to their inhibitory effect on the production of nitric oxide (NO) from the macrophage cell line stimulated by lipopolysaccharide. Compounds in the active fractions were isolated and identified. One isolated compound was identified as new: (6S)-2-methyl-5-hydroxy-6-(3-hydroxy-4-methylphenyl)-2-heptene-4-one (1). Four isolated compounds were identified as known: (6S)-2-methyl-6-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-heptene-4-one (4), bisabolone-4-one (5), curcumenone (6), and turmeronol A (8). Three isolated compounds were not identified their stereostructures but their planar structures: 2-methyl-6-(4-hydroxymethyl-phenyl)-2-heptene-4-one (2), 2-methyl-6-(2,3-epoxy-4-methyl-4-cyclohexene)-2-heptene (3), and 4-methylene-5-hydroxybisabola-2,10-diene-9-one (7). Compounds 1, 4, 7 and 8 inhibited production of prostaglandin E2 and NO. Others inhibited NO production only. These results (at least in part) show the active compounds contributing to the anti-inflammatory effects of WEC, and may be useful for elucidating its various beneficial physiologic effects.

Curcumin is a widely studied natural compound which has shown tremendous in vitro therapeutic potential. Despite that, the clinical efficacy of the native curcumin is weak due to its low bioavailability and high metabolism in the gastrointestinal tract. During the last decade, researchers have come up with different formulations with a focus on improving the bioavailability of curcumin. As a result, a significant number of bioavailable curcumin-based formulations were introduced with the varying range of enhanced bioavailability. The purpose of this review is to collate the published clinical studies of curcumin products with improved bioavailability over conventional (unformulated) curcumin. Based on the literature search, 11 curcumin formulations with available human bioavailability and pharmacokinetics data were included in this review. Further, the data on clinical study design, analytical method, pharmacokinetic parameters and other relevant details of each formulation were extracted. Based on a review of these studies, it is evident that better bioavailability of formulated curcumin products is mostly attributed to improved solubility, stability, and possibly low first-pass metabolism. The review hopes to provide a quick reference guide for anyone looking information on these bioavailable curcumin formulations. Based on the published reports, NovaSol® (185), CurcuWin® (136) and LongVida® (100) exhibited over 100-fold higher bioavailability relative to reference unformulated curcumin. Suggested mechanisms accounting for improved bioavailability of the formulations and details on the bioanalysis methods are also discussed., (Copyright © 2018 Shanghai Changhai Hospital. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)