Benefits Effects Of The Turmeric Herb

Turmeric is an herb native to South Asia and is a member of the ginger family. The powder used for culinary and medicinal purposes comes from the rhizomes of the plant and contains curcumin as an active constituent. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, turmeric has been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for over 4,000 years to treat digestive and liver problems as well as inflammation, skin conditions such as eczema and wounds.

Antioxidant

According to the Oregon State University's Linus Paulin Institute, curcumin has direct antioxidant activity as it enhances the synthesis of and intracellular antioxidant called glutathione, which plays a part in cellular adaptation to stress.
As an antioxidant, turmeric also scavenges free radicals in the body that can cause damage to cell membranes, neutralizes them and prevents this damage.

Anti-Inflammatory

Turmeric's active constituent curcumin acts as an anti-inflammatory agent by lowering levels of cyclooxygenases and lipoxygenases, two inflammatory enzymes in the body, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Its anti-inflammatory properties may make it useful in treating rheumatoid arthritis as well as inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis.

Digestion Aid

Although there is still a need for scientific studies to prove the effectiveness of turmeric as a digestive aid, the National Institute of Health states that turmeric is used to treat heartburn and gallstones and can also be used to for indigestion.
The bitter taste in turmeric stimulates bile secretion from the gallbladder which improves overall digestion, especially the digestion of fats.

Anti-fungal

According to a study done in August of 2008 and published by Oxford University Press's Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, curcumin is a promising anti-fungal that inhibits the adhesion of Candida infection to cells in gastrointestinal tract.

May Treat Diabetes

The Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center at Columbia University Medical Center has conducted a preliminary study on turmeric as an aid for diabetes. Three doctors, Dr. Tortoriello, Dr. Stuart Weisberg and Rudolph Leibel, M.D., discovered that mice treated with turmeric had lower blood glucose levels making them less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. A speculation is that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in curcumin lessens insulin resistance in the body.

Scientific evidence is still needed to know if humans would have the same result as the mice tested in this study.