Turmeric instead of a painkiller? What do Czerniak and Różański recommend

Aim of the study: Turmeric and its prominent bioactive compound, curcumin, have been the subject of many investigations with regard to their impact on inflammatory and oxidative balance in the body. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we summarized the existing literature on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which examined this hypothesis.

Results: Sixty-six RCTs were included in the final analysis. We observed that turmeric/curcumin supplementation significantly reduces levels of inflammatory markers, including CRP (WMD: -0.58 mg/l, 95 % CI: -0.74, -0.41), TNF-α (WMD: -3.48 pg/ml, 95 % CI: -4.38, -2.58), and IL-6 (WMD: -1.31 pg/ml, 95 % CI: -1.58, -0.67); except for IL-1β (WMD: -0.46 pg/ml, 95 % CI: -1.18, 0.27) for which no significant change was found. Also, turmeric/curcumin supplementation significantly improved anti-oxidant activity through enhancing TAC (WMD = 0.21 mmol/l; 95 % CI: 0.08, 0.33), reducing MDA levels (WMD = -0.33 µmol /l; 95 % CI: -0.53, -0.12), and SOD activity (WMD = 20.51 u/l; 95 % CI: 7.35, 33.67). It seems that turmeric/curcumin supplementation might be used as a viable intervention for improving inflammatory/oxidative status of individuals.

Aim of the study: Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress are central to the development and progression of prediabetes and diabetes. Curcumin, the main bioactive component of turmeric, exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, though evidence from human randomized controlled trials (RCTs) remains inconsistent.

Results: Curcumin/turmeric supplementation significantly reduced CRP (SMD: - 0.50), TNF-α (SMD: - 1.70), IL-6 (SMD: - 2.97), and MDA (SMD: - 1.31), while significantly increasing GSH (SMD: 1.72) and TAC (SMD: 1.03). Greater improvements in CRP, GSH, and TAC were observed with unformulated curcumin and higher doses (≥ 1 g/day). Publication bias was detected for CRP and GSH, and the overall certainty of evidence was rated low for all biomarkers due to substantial heterogeneity. In conclusion, curcumin/turmeric supplementation may beneficially modulate inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in prediabetes and diabetes, though further high-quality, large-scale RCTs are needed to confirm these findings and determine optimal formulations and dosages.

Aim of the study: Modern 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.

Results: Twenty-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. Curcumin 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.

Aim of the study: Background: Curcumin, a bioactive polyphenol derived from turmeric, has demonstrated potential therapeutic effects in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) by modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, hepatic fat accumulation, and fibrosis. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of curcumin in reducing hepatic steatosis and liver stiffness in patients with MASLD.

Results: IL-1β, IL-6, and malondialdehyde levels also declined significantly (p < 0.001), while antioxidant enzyme activities, including glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, increased significantly (p < 0.001), indicating improved oxidative balance. Furthermore, curcumin led to significant reductions in non-esterified fatty acids, total body fat, BMI, hepatic steatosis, and liver stiffness compared to placebo. Conclusions: Twelve months of curcumin supplementation improved glycemic control, reduced systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, and significantly improved hepatic steatosis and liver stiffness in patients with MASLD. These findings support curcumin as a promising adjunctive therapy for MASLD management.

Aim of the study: Controlling hyperglycemia and inflammation in type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains an important approach to control diabetes. The use of phytochemicals found in natural herbs has been investigated widely, and there are inconsistent findings in clinical trials, likely associated with a small sample size.

Results: Supplementation with curcumin led to a significant decrease in fasting blood glucose, MD = -11.48 mg/dL, 95%CI (-14.26, -8.70), p < 0.01 and glycated hemoglobin, MD = -0.54%, 95%CI (-0.73, -0.35), p < 0.01. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in C-Reactive Protein in curcumin compared to a placebo, SMD = -0.59, 95%CI (-1.11, -0.07), p = 0.03. The findings observed in this study suggest that curcumin can ameliorate hyperglycemia and inflammation in T2D compared to a placebo. While the potential benefits were observed, it is recommended that future trials focus on finding a suitable dose and duration of intervention and incorporate formulation in curcumin to enhance its absorption.

Aim of the study: Medicinal properties of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), a plant used for centuries as an anti-inflammatory, are attributed to its polyphenolic curcuminoids, where curcumin predominates. Although "curcumin" supplements are a top-selling botanical with promising pre-clinical effects, questions remain regarding biological activity in humans.

Results: Eight databases were searched using established guidelines, yielding 389 citations (from 9528 initial) that met inclusion criteria. Half focused on obesity-associated metabolic disorders (29%) or musculoskeletal disorders (17%), where inflammation is a key driver, and beneficial effects on clinical outcomes and/or biomarkers were reported for most citations (75%) in studies that were primarily double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled trials (77%, D-RCT). Citations for the next most studied disease categories (neurocognitive [11%] or gastrointestinal disorders [10%], or cancer [9%]), were far fewer in number and yielded mixed results depending on study quality and condition studied.

Aim of the study: There is an increased risk of oxidative stress and inflammation in hemodialysis (HD) patients, as well as nephrotoxicity in individuals receiving immunosuppressive drugs. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) and its active compound, curcumin, demonstrate nephroprotective effects through their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties.

Results: Additionally, they showed a nephroprotective role in users of immunosuppressive drugs. Conversely, a food-drug interaction between immunosuppressive drugs and high doses of turmeric caused nephrotoxicity. Turmeric and curcumin may serve as supportive therapeutic strategies for HD patients and individuals using immunosuppressive drugs. However, larger sample sizes and high-quality trials with longer follow-up periods are necessary to confirm their efficacy.