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BackgroundModern pharmacological research found that the chemical components of Curcuma longa L. are mainly curcumin and turmeric volatile oil. Several recent randomized controlled trials (RCT) have shown that curcumin improves symptoms and inflammation in patients with arthritis.MethodsPubmed, Cochran Library, CNKI, and other databases were searched to collect the randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Then, the risk of bias of RCTs were assessed and data of RCTs were extracted. Finally, RevMan 5.3 was utilized for meta-analysis.ResultsTwenty-nine (29) RCTs involving 2396 participants and 5 types of arthritis were included. The arthritis included Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Osteoarthritis (OA), Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and gout/hyperuricemia. Curcumin and Curcuma longa Extract were administered in doses ranging from 120 mg to 1500 mg for a duration of 4-36 weeks. In general, Curcumin and Curcuma longa Extract showed safety in all studies and improved the severity of inflammation and pain levels in these arthritis patients. However, more RCTs are needed in the future to elucidate the effect of Curcumin and Curcuma longa Extract supplementation in patients with arthritis, including RA, OA, AS and JIA.ConclusionCurcumin and Curcuma longa Extract may improve symptoms and inflammation levels in people with arthritis. However, due to the low quality and small quantity of RCTs, the conclusions need to be interpreted carefully.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Curcumin and Curcuma longa Extract in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.MethodsDatabases such as Embase, Web of Science, PubMed and The Cochrane Library were searched from the database establishment to February 2022 to collect RCTs of Curcumin and Curcuma longa Extract in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Then the literature was screened and the data were extracted. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software.ResultsA total of 34 records were included, involving 31 RCTs and 10 types of autoimmune disease. Among them, ankylosing spondylitis (AS) involves one RCT, Behcet ‘s disease (BD) involves one RCT, Crohn ‘s disease involves two RCTs, multiple sclerosis (MS) involves two RCTs, oral lichen planus involves six RCTs, psoriasis involves two RCTs, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) involves five RCTs, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) involves two RCTs, arteritis involves one RCT, ulcerative colitis (UC) involves nine RCTs. Among them, most of the RCTs of ulcerative colitis (UC), oral lichen planus, RA showed that curcumin and curcumin extracts improved clinical or laboratory results. Crohn ‘ s disease, MS, SLE, psoriasis included two RCTs; they all showed improvements (at least one RCT reported improvements in clinical outcomes). AS, BD and arteritis included only one RCT, and the clinical results showed improvement. However, due to the small number of RCTs and the small number of patients involved in each disease, there is still a need for more high-quality RCTs.ConclusionCurcumin and Curcuma longa Extract had good clinical efficacy in the treatment of Psoriasis, UC and RA, so Curcumin and Curcuma longa Extract could be used in the treatment of the above diseases in the future. The results of Meta-analysis showed that Curcumin and Curcuma longa Extract did not show efficacy in the treatment of oral lichen planus, while Takayasu arteritis, SLE, MS, AS, BD and CD did not report sufficient clinical data for meta-analysis. Therefore, large-sample, multi-center clinical trials are still needed for revision or validation.

Cancer is a major burden of disease globally. Each year, tens of millions of people are diagnosed with cancer worldwide, and more than half of the patients eventually die from it. Significant advances have been noticed in cancer treatment, but the mortality and incidence rates of cancers are still high. Thus, there is a growing research interest in developing more effective and less toxic cancer treatment approaches. Curcumin (CUR), the major active component of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), has gained great research interest as an antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory agent. This natural compound shows its anticancer effect through several pathways including interfering with multiple cellular mechanisms and inhibiting/inducing the generation of multiple cytokines, enzymes, or growth factors including IκB kinase β (IκKβ), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), signal transducer, and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), cyclooxygenase II (COX-2), protein kinase D1 (PKD1), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), epidermal growth factor, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Interestingly, the anticancer activity of CUR has been limited primarily due to its poor water solubility, which can lead to low chemical stability, low oral bioavailability, and low cellular uptake. Delivering drugs at a controlled rate, slow delivery, and targeted delivery are other very attractive methods and have been pursued vigorously. Multiple CUR nanoformulations have also been developed so far to ameliorate solubility and bioavailability of CUR and to provide protection to CUR against hydrolysis inactivation. In this review, we have summarized the anticancer activity of CUR against several cancers, for example, gastrointestinal, head and neck, brain, pancreatic, colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers. In addition, we have also focused on the findings obtained from multiple experimental and clinical studies regarding the anticancer effect of CUR in animal models, human subjects, and cancer cell lines.

Background: Curcuma spp. (Zingiberaceae) are used as a spice and coloring agent. Their rhizomes and essential oils are known for medicinal properties, besides their use in the flavoring and cosmetic industry. Most of these biological activities were attributed to volatile and nonvolatile secondary metabolites present in the rhizomes of Curcuma spp. The metabolite variations among the species and even cultivars need to be established for optimized use of Curcuma spp. Objectives: We compared the phytochemical profiles of rhizomes and their essential oils to establish the variability among seven cultivars: five of Curcuma longa L . (Alleppey Supreme, Duggirala Red, Prathibha, Salem, Suguna) and two of C. aromatica Salisb. (Kasturi Araku, Kasturi Avidi). The GC-MS and LC-MS-based analyses were employed to profile secondary metabolites of these selected cultivars. Methods: Rhizomes of Curcuma spp. were subjected to hydro-distillation to collect essential oil and analyzed by GC-MS. The methanol extracts of fresh rhizomes were subjected to LC-MS analyses. The compounds were identified by using the relevant MS library databases as many compounds as possible. Results: The essential oil content of the cultivars was in the range of 0.74–1.62%. Several compounds were detected from the essential oils and rhizome extracts by GC-MS and LC-MS, respectively. Of these, 28 compounds (13 from GCMS and 15 from LCMS) were common in all seven cultivars, e.g., α-thujene, and diarylheptanoids like curcumin. Furthermore, a total of 39 new compounds were identified from C. longa L. and/or C. aromatica Salisb., most of them being cultivar-specific. Of these compounds, 35 were detected by GC-MS analyses of essential oils, 1,2-cyclohexanediol, 1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-, and santolina alcohol, to name a few. The other four compounds were detected by LC-MS of the methanolic extracts of the rhizomes, e.g., kaempferol-3,7-O-dimethyl ether and 5,7,8-trihydroxy-2′,5′-dimethoxy-3′,4′-methylene dioxyisoflavanone. Conclusions: We identified and recorded the variability in the metabolite profiles of essential oils and whole rhizome extracts from the seven cultivars of Curcuma longa L. and C. aromatica Salisb. As many as 39 new metabolites were detected in these seven Indian cultivars of Curcuma spp. Many of these compounds have health benefits.

Humans have utilized plants for various purposes, including sustenance and medical treatment for millennia. Researchers have extensively investigated medicinal plants’ potential in drug development, spurred by their rich array of chemical compounds. Curcumin, a valuable bioactive compound, is extracted from Turmeric, known by the scientific name Curcuma Longa L. Notably, curcumin boasts potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a promising candidate for treating cancer and other microbial diseases. Therefore, the simulation study of the extraction of this important medicinal compound by water, which is a green solvent, was carried out. This study employed molecular dynamics simulation for the first time to explore the extraction of Curcuma Longa L. extract using subcritical water. The simulations were carried out at constant pressure and different temperatures, using the Compass force field in the Lammps simulation package. The findings revealed an increase in the amount of Curcuma longa extract with rising temperature, indicating a weakening of hydrogen bonds in water molecules. Water lost its polar state with increasing temperature and became a suitable non-polar solvent for extracting non-polar compounds. The average absolute relative deviation (AARD) for calculated and simulated density data was 6.45%.

Our aim was to investigate whether hot water extract (CLW) of Curcuma longa L. could prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). HepG2 cells were treated with free fatty acid (FFA) mixture (oleic acid: palmitic acid, 2:1) for 24 h to stimulate in vitro fatty liver. In addition, C57BL/6 mice were fed 60 kcal% high-fat (HF) diet for eight weeks to induce fatty liver in vivo. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) productions were increased by FFA and HF-diet, but supplementation with CLW significantly decreased these levels. CLW treatment ameliorated antioxidant activities that were suppressed by exposure to the FFA and HF-diet. Cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) and fatty acid transport proteins (FATP2 and FATP5) were increased in HF-diet groups, while CLW suppressed their expression levels. Moreover, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC), and fatty acid synthase (FAS) expression levels were down-regulated in the CLW groups compared to HF-diet groups. On the other hand, 5′ adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-α), and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT-1) expressions were up-regulated in the CLW groups. HF-diet fed mice showed high hepatic triglycerides (TG) content compared to the normal diet mice. However, the administration of CLW restored the hepatic TG level, indicating an inhibitory effect against lipid accumulation by CLW. These results suggest that CLW could be a potentially useful agent for the prevention of NAFLD through modulating fatty acid uptake.

The root tuber and rhizome of Curcuma longa L., abbreviated, respectively, as RCL and RHCL, are used as different medicines in China. In this work, volatile oils were extracted from RCL and RHCL. Then, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was used for RCL and RHCL volatile oils analysis, and 45 compounds were identified. The dominant constituents both in volatile oils of RCL and RHCL were turmerone, (−)-zingiberene, and β-turmerone, which covered more than 60% of the total area. The chromatographic fingerprint similarities between RCL and RHCL were not less than 0.943, indicating that their main chemical compositions were similar. However, there were also some compounds that were varied in RCL and RHCL. Based on the peak area ratio of 45 compounds, the RCL and RHCL samples were separated into principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Then, 20 compounds with a variable importance for the projection (VIP) value of more than 1 were the high potential contributors for RCL and RHCL differences. Furthermore, ferric ion-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay results demonstrated that the volatile oils of RCL and RHCL had antioxidant activities. This study provided the material basis for the research of volatile components in RCL and RHCL and contributed to their further pharmacological research and quality control.

Curcuma longa, best known for its culinary application as the main constituent of curry powder, has shown potential impact on the reproductive system. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of Curcuma longa extract (CLE) on Kidney‐Yang deficiency mice induced by hydrocortisone and the possible roles in testosterone secretion in Leydig cells. We evaluated male sexual behaviour, reproductive organ weight, testosterone levels, and histological tissue changes in hydrocortisone‐induced mice. CLE effectively reversed hydrocortisone‐induced Kidney‐Yang deficiency syndrome by improving sexual behaviour, testis and epididymis weight, testosterone levels and reducing pathological damage. Our in vitro study further indicated that CLE stimulated testosterone production via upregulating the mRNA and protein expression of steroidogenic enzymes in Leydig cells. It significantly improved H89‐inhibited protein expression of StAR and cAMP‐response element‐binding (CREB), as well as melatonin‐suppressed StAR protein expression. The data obtained from this study suggest that CLE could alleviate Kidney‐Yang deficiency symptoms and stimulate testosterone production by upregulating the steroidogenic pathway. This research identifies CLE as a potential nutraceutical option for addressing testosterone deficiency diseases.

The study aims to select potent bacterial antagonists to be used as biocontrol agents against rhizome rot disease in turmeric (Curcuma longa L.). A total of 48 bacterial isolates were isolated from the rhizosphere of turmeric. These isolates were screened for their in vitro antagonism against Fusarium solani FS-01 and Pythium aphanidermatum (ITCC 7908). Production of volatile organic compounds and chitinase activity were also performed. Among the tested isolates, two bacterial isolates (IJ2 and IJ10) showed the highest inhibitory activity against these fungal pathogens. GC/MS analysis of the crude extract produced by Pseudomonas sp. IJ2 and B. subtilis IJ10 was found to contain many bioactive compounds with antifungal and antimicrobial activities. The rhizome treatment with these isolates exhibited the lowest percent disease severity with high biocontrol efficacy against the tested pathogens. These isolates with promising antagonistic potential, therefore, can be used as biocontrol agents against rhizome rot in turmeric.

Background The dietary spice Curcuma longa , also known as turmeric, has various biological effects. Both a water extract and a supercritical carbon dioxide extract of C. longa showed anti-inflammatory activities in animal studies. However, the anti-inflammatory effect in humans of a mixture of these two C. longa extracts (CLE) is poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated the effect of CLE containing anti-inflammatory turmeronols on chronic inflammation and general health. Methods We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in healthy subjects aged 50 to 69 years with overweight. Participants took two capsules containing CLE (CLE group, n  = 45) or two placebo capsules (placebo group, n = 45) daily for 12 weeks, and serum inflammatory markers were measured. Participants also completed two questionnaires: the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) scale. Treatment effects were analyzed by two way analysis of variance followed by a t test (significance level, p  <  0.05). Results After the intervention, the CLE group had a significantly lower body weight (p <  0.05) and body mass index ( p  < 0.05) than the placebo group and significantly lower serum levels of C-reactive protein ( p  < 0.05) and complement component 3 ( p  < 0.05). In addition, the CLE group showed significant improvement of the MOS SF-36 mental health score ( p  < 0.05) and POMS anger-hostility score (p < 0.05). Conclusion CLE may ameliorate chronic low-grade inflammation and thus help to improve mental health and mood disturbance. Trial registration UMIN-CTR, UMIN000037370. Registered 14 July 2019, https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000042607