Turmeric properties

Some colors are nutrients in their own right, and they have antioxidant properties that are beneficial to health. Beta-carotene, annatto, saffron, and turmeric all have these good properties in addition to their color. In fact, the same chemistry that makes them absorb light also helps them to absorb and neutralize dangerous oxygen free radicals in the body. 

Curcumin (diferuloyl methane) is the main pigment of turmeric. It is widely used as a colorant and preservative agent. No data regarding its daily intake in western countries are available intake may reach 80 to 200 mg in adult Indians. To date, no study has explored the effect of curcumin consumption on the incidence of diseases, but many beneficial effects on health have been reported in cell and animal models. These include anti-carcinogenic, anti-diabetic, anti-atherosclerotic, and anti-Alzheimer s disease properties. ... 

Curcuma longa L. C. domestica L. Yu Jin (Turmeric) (tuber) 1-curcamene, sesquiterpene, camphor, camphene, curmarin, curzernone, curzenene, curcumol, furanodienone, furanodiene, zederone, curcolone, diol, procurcumenol, curdione, curcumin. 33-398-460-510 Anti-inflammatory, antitumor, anti-infectious properties, antioxidative activity. Activate blood flow, remove blood stasis. 

Further studies are required to unravel this mystery of how the methoxy substitutions and the a, p-unsaturated p-diketone moiety actually influence conformational changes, lipophillicity, electron density distribution, and redox properties of curcuminoids. Correlating these physicochemical properties with the unique pleiotropic effects of curcuminoids is a rewarding exercise. Such studies would definitely provide proper reasoning in understanding these markedly different antioxidant, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory activities of natural curcuminoids from turmeric. 

Several spices possess antioxidative properties — a turmeric extract (curcuminoid), a hexane extract of rosemary, and the a-tocopherol-supplemented capsicum pigment exhibit their antioxidative effects in vivo by dietary supplementation. Turmeric extract has demonstrated the ability to reduce liver triacylglycerol deposition as well as cholesterol. 

The ratio of turmerone to ar-turmerone as reported by Rupe et al. (1934) is 60 40, while analysis of the volatile oils from commercial oleoresin shows a ratio of 80 20 (Salzer, 1977). The physico-chemical properties of turmerone and ar-turmerone are given in Table 6.3. The effect of maturity on the major components of rhizome oil from turmeric grown in Sri Lanka also indicated ar-turmerone (24.7-48.9%) and turmerone (20-39%) as the major compounds (Cooray et al., 1988 Nigam and Ahmed, 1991). Golding et al. (1982) demonstrated the... 

Several pharmacological and medicinal properties of turmeric are widely known (Ammon and Wahl, 1991 Eigner and Scholz, 1999 Araujo and Leon, 2001). The rhizome extracts of turmeric, apart from the ethanolic and methanolic ones, have been examined for their biological activities and have been in use for centuries. 

Curcuminoids and other constituents of turmeric are well known for their antiinflammatory activity. Turmeric extract, volatile oils from turmeric and curcuminoids were reported to possess this property in different experimental models of inflammation in mice, rats, rabbits and pigeons (Arora et ah, 1971 Ghatak and Basu, 1972 Chandra and Gupta, 1972). Thus, curcuminoids are effective against carrageenan-induced oedema in rats (Srivastava et al.,... 

Kumar, G.S., Shetty, A.K., Sambaiah, K. and Salimath, P.V. (2005b) Antidiabetic property of fenugreek seed mucilage and spent turmeric in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Nutrition Research 25, 1021-1028. 

The turmeric rhizome is a main ingredient of curry powder. It gives color and flavor to food, and it has aromatic, stimulant, and carminative properties. This herb is used traditionally in India to treat biliary disorders, anorexia, cough, diabetic wounds, liver disorders, rheumatism, and sinusitis and in China for abdominal pains and jaundice. Turmeric has a protective effect on the liver, stimulates bile secretion in animals, and is recommended for use in liver disorders. 

Turmeric oleoresin is insoluble in water but soluble in alkalis, alcohols, and glacial acetic acid. This pigment has a strong characteristic odor and sharp taste, and is utilized for both its taste and color properties as an additive to canned products, soups, mustards, and other products. 

In Chapter 18, Ebadi discusses the antioxidative properties of the spices capsicum, rosemary, and turmeric, along with the well-known antioxidants that are the tocopherols (vitamin E), P-carotene, and ascorbic add (vitamin C), with the observation that anticancer properties exist. 

Paprika and its oleoresin in the red and yellow varieties owe their colour to carotenoids such as capsanthin and capsorubin. They are obtained from the sweet red pepper by solvent extraction which affords an oleoresin containing mainly the two carotenoids. They are more important as flavour materials and illustrate, as do turmeric and its oleoresin, the feature that flavour is often the property of greater interest than colour alone. 

Turmeric has been used since early times to cure et crything from leprosy to the common cold but is probably best known for its properties as a carminal ivc. It is u.sed to provide aroma and taste to foods and as a dj e for fabric. Its properties as a dye arc poor because tunneric is not light stable, funneric is also used in some cultures as a cosineiic. to lighten the skin. 

The primary focus of tumteric research today is based on its properties as an amio- idam (Zi) and a.s an anticarcinogen (4,5,6). The antioxidant properties of turmeric are based on the ability of curcumin to form complexes with metals and to form a rcsojiance stabilized free radical. Curcumin, along with the other curcuminoids. 

Kavitha, T., Padmashwini, R., Swarna, A, Giri Dev, V. R., Neelkandan, R., and Kumar, M. S., Effect of chitosan treatment on the properties of turmeric dyed cotton yarn, Indian J. Fibre Text Res, 32, March (2007), 53-56. 

Psyllium use as poultice (psyllium mixed with milk and turmeric powder) for minor scrapes is considered a standard practice in old and current Indian culture. Psyllium is also known to sooth and protects inflamed cell membranes. The recent research stidies carried on wound healing properties of psyllium has reported that psyllium contains Mucopolysaccharides which are useful for wound cleansing and wound healing. These mucopolysaccharides also limit scar formation on human skin (33). 

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