Curcumin Physician Formulas

Curcumin is one of the major antioxidants found in the spice turmeric. The roots of the turmeric plant are used as an herb in Asian cooking such as curries. Curcumin is a major component of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) and extensive scientific research on curcumin and turmeric has demonstrated their potent antioxidant properties. Through their antioxidant mechanisms, curcumin and turmeric support colon health, exert neuroprotective activity and help maintain a healthy cardiovascular system.

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Potential benefits of curcumin
Growing research over the last half century has revealed that curcumin has many important functions. It binds to a variety of proteins and inhibits the activity of various kinases. By influencing the activation of various transcription factors, curcumin regulates the expression of inflammatory enzymes, cytokines, adhesion molecules, and cell survival proteins. Curcumin also downregulates cyclin D1, cyclin E and MDM2; and upregulates p21, p27, and p53. Curcumin has been shown to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities and thus has a potential against various malignant diseases, diabetes, allergies, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and other chronic illnesses. For more curcumin turmeric information.

Curcumin and Alzheimer's disease
Curcumin may be able to break up the "plaques" that mark the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients. Scientists found that curcumin was able to reduce deposits of beta-amyloid proteins in the brains of elderly lab mice that ate curcumin as part of their diets. Furthermore, when the researchers added low doses of curcumin to human beta-amyloid proteins in a test tube, the compound kept the proteins from aggregating and blocked the formation of the amyloid fibers that make up Alzheimer's plaques. Accumulation of beta-amyloid proteins in the brain is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease that leads to damage to nerve cells and the resulting loss in memory and cognitive function. Long used as part of traditional Indian medicine, curcumin is known to have some anti-cancer properties, and animal research suggests it might serve as a treatment for multiple sclerosis and cystic fibrosis. Interest in curcumin as an Alzheimer's therapy grew after studies found low rates of the disease among elderly adults in India, where curry spice is a dietary staple. Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties. And since oxidative damage and inflammation mark a number of diseases of aging - such as arthritis and the buildup of plaques in the heart's arteries - curcumin eventually may prove to be useful for a range of age-related conditions.

Curcumin and Cancer
Curcumin may help fight cancer, including prostate cancer. Researchers have found in the lab that curcumin can enhance the cancer-fighting power of treatment with TRAIL, a naturally occurring molecule that helps kill cancer cells. TRAIL stands for tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand. In an experiment with human prostate cancer cells in a laboratory dish, the combination treatment killed off two to three times more cells than either treatment alone.
   Curcumin exerts multiple different suppressive effects on human breast carcinoma cells in vitro.
   In a test tube study, curcumin was found to have anticancer effects on human Burkitt's lymphoma.

Curcumin and diabetes, pancreatic cells
In animal studies, curcumin protects islets against streptozotocin induced oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals. Pprophylactic use of curcumin may rescue islets from damage without affecting the normal function of these cellular structures.

Curcumin benefit for Heart conditions
In a rodent study, curcumin was found to protect rat myocardium against ischemic insult and the protective effect could be attributed to its antioxidant properties.

Curcumin and Multiple Sclerosis
Curcumin may block the progression of multiple sclerosis.

Familial adenomatous polyposis
Curcumin and quercetin may be helpful in adenomas in familial adenomatous polyposis.

Combination treatment with curcumin and quercetin of adenomas in familial adenomatous polyposis.
Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2006 Aug;4(8):1035-8.
Five familial adenomatous polyposis patients with prior colectomy (4 with retained rectum and 1 with an ileal anal pouch) received curcumin 480 mg and quercetin 20 mg orally 3 times a day. The number and size of polyps were assessed at baseline and after therapy. All 5 patients had a decreased polyp number and size from baseline after a mean of 6 months of treatment with curcumin and quercetin. Minimal adverse side effects and no laboratory abnormalities were noted. The combination of curcumin and quercetin appears to reduce the number and size of ileal and rectal adenomas in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis without appreciable toxicity.

Curcumin may be helpful in ulcerative colitis
Curcumin maintenance therapy for ulcerative colitis: randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2006 Dec;4(12):1502-6.
Eighty-nine patients with quiescent ulcerative colitis were recruited for this randomized, double-blind, multicenter trial of curcumin in the prevention of relapse. Forty-five patients received curcumin, 1g after breakfast and 1g after the evening meal, plus sulfasalazine (SZ) or mesalamine, and 44 patients received placebo plus SZ or mesalamine for 6 months. Of 43 patients who received curcumin, 2 relapsed during 6 months of therapy (4%), whereas 8 of 39 patients (20%) in the placebo group relapsed. Recurrence rates evaluated on the basis of intention to treat showed significant difference between curcumin and placebo. Conclusions: Curcumin seems to be a promising and safe medication for maintaining remission in patients with quiescent ulcerative colitis.

Curcumin for inflammatory bowel disease
Curcumin therapy in inflammatory bowel disease: a pilot study.
Dig Dis Sci. 2005 Nov;50(11):2191-3. Holt PR, Katz S, Kirshoff R. St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University and Strang Cancer Center Research Laboratory, New York, New York, USA.
Curcumin, a natural compound used as a food additive, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in cell culture and animal studies. A pure curcumin preparation was administered in an open label study to five patients with ulcerative proctitis and five with Crohn's disease. All proctitis patients improved, with reductions in concomitant medications in four, and four of five Crohn's disease patients had lowered CDAI scores and sedimentation rates. This encouraging pilot study suggests the need for double-blind placebo-controlled follow-up studies.

Curcumin and Alzheimer's disease
Curcumin has compounds that may be helpful in Alzheimer's disease. Curcumin helps prevent the formation of beta-amyloids which are neural fibrils in the brain that cause Alzheimer's. Curcumin may be able to break up the "plaques" that mark the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients. Scientists found that curcumin was able to reduce deposits of beta-amyloid proteins in the brains of elderly lab mice that ate curcumin as part of their diets. Furthermore, when the researchers added low doses of curcumin to human beta-amyloid proteins in a test tube, the compound kept the proteins from aggregating and blocked the formation of the amyloid fibers that make up Alzheimer's plaques. Accumulation of beta-amyloid proteins in the brain is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease that leads to damage to nerve cells and the resulting loss in memory and cognitive function. Long used as part of traditional Indian medicine, curcumin is known to have some anti-cancer properties, and animal research suggests it might serve as a treatment for multiple sclerosis and cystic fibrosis. Interest in curcumin as an Alzheimer's therapy grew after studies found low rates of the disease among elderly adults in India, where curry spice is a dietary staple. Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties. And since oxidative damage and inflammation mark a number of diseases of aging - such as arthritis and the buildup of plaques in the heart's arteries - curcumin eventually may prove to be useful for a range of age-related conditions.
     For those who prefer to take a capsule of curcumin rather than cook with curry or turmeric, curcumin supplements are available.

Curcumin and breast cancer
Curcumin appears to stop the spread of breast cancer tumor cells to the lungs of mice. Tests have already started in people, too, says Bharat Aggarwal of the Department of Experimental Therapeutics at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, who led the study. "What's exciting about this agent is that it seems to have both chemopreventive and therapeutic properties. Earlier research showed that curcumin, an antioxidant, can help prevent tumors from forming in the laboratory. For their study, Aggarwal and colleagues injected mice with human breast cancer cells -- a batch of cells grown from a patient whose cancer had spread to the lungs. The resulting tumors were allowed to grow, and then surgically removed, to simulate a mastectomy. Then the mice either got no additional treatment; curcumin alone; the cancer drug paclitaxel (sold under the brand name Taxol); or curcumin plus Taxol. Only half the mice in the curcumin -only group and 22 percent of those in the curcumin plus Taxol group had evidence of breast cancer that had spread to the lungs. But 75 percent of animals that got Taxol alone and 95 percent of those that got no treatment developed lung tumors. IN other words, the addition of curcumin lowered the rate of cancer spread. Earlier studies suggest that people who eat diets rich in turmeric have lower rates of breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer and colon cancer.

Curcumin studies
Curcumin modulates free radical quenching in myocardial ischaemia in rats.
Manikandan P. Central Leather Research Institute, Adyar, Chennai 600020, India. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2004 Oct;36(10):1977-90.
This study was designed to investigate the protective effect of curcumin against isoprenaline induced myocardial ischaemia in rat myocardium. The effect of single oral dose of curcumin (15mgkg(-1)), administered 30min before and/or after the onset of ischaemia, was investigated by assessing oxidative stress related biochemical parameters in rat myocardium. Curcumin pre and post-treatment (PPT) was shown to decrease the levels of xanthine oxidase, superoxide anion, lipid peroxides and myeloperoxidase while the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase activities were significantly increased after curcumin PPT. Histopathological and transmission electron microscopical studies also confirmed the severe myocardial damage occurring as a consequence of isoprenaline induced ischaemia and they also showed the significant improvement effected by curcumin PPT. These findings provided evidence that curcumin was found to protect rat myocardium against ischaemic insult and the protective effect could be attributed to its antioxidant properties as well as its inhibitory effects on xanthine dehydrogenase - xanthine oxidase conversion and resultant superoxide anion production.

Curcumin questions
Q. My CT scan report show about 2 cms growth on the tail of pancreas. It is not known whether it is benign or malignant. Will your product Curcuma containing curcumin alkaloid, be of any use in treating this condition. Do you have any other natural product for treatment without surgery. I will be shortly consulting my Gastroenterologist who is an expert on pancreatic diseases. I would like to start treatment for both benign and malignant neoplasms of pancreas. I have no pain whatsoever.
   A. We cannot make any predictions on the treatment of pancreatic cancer with curcumin or any other natural supplement.

Q. I have had severe IBS (or colitis) for 16 years. I wanted to tell you, that I have been on curcumin for 6 months, (2x day) with bioprene, and am finally getting SOME results. I know that a long illness cannot necessarily just change overnight, and am grateful to your website to inspire me to keep working with curcumin. I tried three a day, but cannot go that high yet. I have more energy, sleep a bit better, and am starting to gain weight. I can now exercise. I still can't eat dairy, sugar, alcohol, or too much of grains, but I am not burping as much all day long now, and am burping less at night. I don't sleep as much during the day. Best of all, my digestive system is not working as poorly. It has gone from a level 2 to about a 4 in a 1-10 range. Have there ever been any "long term" studies on bad digestion with curcumin? Everything looks so short term.
   A. Thus far the studies have not been long term but we hope the benefits of curcumin continue for you. What happens when you take more than three a day?
      Q. I can't take 3 pills a day, as I get diarrhea, and spend a lot of time in the bathroom. I use Doctor's Best brand. I think it has been helping with my fibromyalgia also. Now it just hurts in the morning usually. Sometimes, it was all day, usually depending on what I ate. I have also noticed the pain in my right hand has gone down when I type. Usually, this would get pretty bad, to where I would wonder if I could type in the future. Now I am not concerned about my future working (accounting work).

Q. My wife has been diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer's disease. She is currently taking Aricept, Namenda and Effexor twice a day as prescribed by her neurologist. I am considering purchasing curcumin because of some of the positive effects that I have read about. Should my wife refrain from taking her prescription medications while taking curcumin or can she take both?
   A. This is not a decision that we can make. The decision to use curcumin or to not take prescription medications rests on her doctor.

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