What are the Health Effects of Curcumin?

Turmeric is a perennial herbaceous plant from the Zingiberaceae family that can grow up to 1 meter, has yellow flowers, large leaves and orange rhizomes. Curcumin is a biologically active yellow polyphenolic compound found in turmeric (Curcuma longa L.). The long-standing use of curcumin in Chinese and Indian medicine has caused its effect on diseases to be the subject of scientific studies. When PubMed is examined, it is seen that the number of publications about curcumin exceeds 90000 and this number increases every year. Below you can see the predicted biological effects of curcumin and the number of publications on these effects in PubMed as of September 2024.

Antineoplastic Agent (67307 publications)

Substances that prevent the proliferation of neoplasms that occur in cancer. It is the feature that suppresses the structures or substances that play a key role in the proliferation of cancer cells and prevents them from functioning, thus stopping the progression of cancer.

Anti-İnflammatory Agent (60674 publications)

Substances that reduce inflammation by acting through the body's mechanisms, without directly affecting the factor that causes inflammation. Inflammation is a series of cellular, humoral and vascular vital responses of living tissue to all kinds of living, non-living foreign factors or internal/external tissue damage. Substances that suppress acute or chronic inflammatory events resulting from bacterial causes or chronic irritations are anti-inflammatory substances.

Antioxidant Agent (50808 publications)

Substances that inhibit oxidation and prevent the change of other substances associated with the oxidative process. Infectious causes, chronic irritations, tissue damage caused by surgery/trauma, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, etc. Substances that inhibit the oxidation that occurs in tissues, body fluids and blood as a result and ensure the removal of oxidation products (free radicals) and toxic substances from the body.

Antibacterial Agent (21429 publications)

Substances that destroy bacteria or prevent their growth.

Neuroprotective Agent (16420 publications)

Substances used in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders and as antidementatives.

Antiviral Agent (12054 publications)

Substances that fight against a virus, preventing it from multiplying, weakening or eliminating its effect.

Antifungal Agent (9340 publications)

Substances that act against fungi.

Antidiabetic Agent (8900 publications)

Substances to control blood sugar levels in diabetic patients and prevent complications that develop with diabetes

Hepatoprotective Agent (6661 publications)

Any compound that is able to prevent damage to the liver.

Longevity Agent (5808 publications)

Substances that support long and healthy aging, slow down the biological aging process or extend lifespan.

Immunomodulator Agent (3618 publications)

Biologically active substances whose activity affects or plays a role in the functioning of the immune system.

Antimigraine Agent (1165 publications)

Substances that can be used to treat or prevent migraine headaches.

Antiarthritic Agent (543 publications)

Substances produced by the body that act against arthritis, an inflammatory condition that occurs in the joints.

Antiallergic Agent (78 publications)

Substances that prevent the effects of allergens on the body or reduce or stop the effects of the body's allergic reactions to allergenic substances.

Geroprotective Agent (54 publications)

Substances that have protective effects against the effects of aging.