The turmeric rhizome is used as a spice, but it also has a long history in Chinese traditional medicine and India’s Ayurvedic medicine. Current medical research is promising, but it has not yet been tested on people. Please be sure to talk with your physician if you want to use a turmeric supplement because its active ingredients can interfere with some medications.
Definition
Turmeric is a plant; rhizome is its root. A member of the ginger family, its scientific name is Curcuma longa but you may be more familiar with its common names: Indian saffron and curcumin. Rhizomes are thick stems that grow horizontally under the ground. They’re unique because they produce underground roots as well as shoots that develop into plants. The turmeric rhizome contains ingredients used for culinary and medicinal purposes.
Ingredients
Turmeric contains curcuminoids, ar-turmerone, carotene, vitamin C and polysaccharides notes Memorial Sloan-Kettering. Carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body. Ar-turmerone, sometimes shortened to turmerone, is the essential oil of turmeric. The turmeric rhizome contains several curcuminoids, but curcumin is the primary constituent and is considered to be the most active ingredient. MSKCC notes that curcumin is an antioxidant, while both turmerone and curcumin possess anti-inflammatory abilities.
Uses
Turmeric rhizomes are boiled, dried and then ground into an orange-yellow powder. The powder is used to give color to condiments like mustard and is a hot, peppery spice used in Asian and Middle-Eastern cuisine. Turmeric’s role in traditional medicine includes reducing inflammation, calming the stomach, detoxifying the liver; and treating diabetes, liver disease, diarrhea and wounds. It may relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and gas, protect against cancer and possess anti-inflammatory abilities, states MSKCC.
Research
Research is very promising; many studies indicate that curcumin has the potential to help treat cancer, diabetes and cystic fibrosis. But it’s important to realize that all of the studies, including those mentioned here, are laboratory studies that have not been verified in human patients.
In the September 2005 issue of the European Journal of Cancer, researchers concluded that there was enough evidence to substantiate curcumin’s potential to prevent some types of cancer. The January 2010 issue of Molecular Carcinogenesis reported curcumin’s ability to kill ovarian cancer cells. More recently, research published in the August 2010 issue of the International Journal of Molecular Medicine states that curcumin effectively suppressed cancer, specifically, glioblastoma cells.
Warnings
Turmeric may interfere with some prescription medications. MSKCC states that it may inhibit the anti-tumor action of several medications used in chemotherapy. Cancer patients should limit the amount of turmeric-containing foods they eat during treatment. If you take anticoagulants, be aware that turmeric may increase your risk of bleeding. Also, if you have gallstones, GI disorders such as ulcers, or a bile duct obstruction, you should not take turmeric.
Side Effects
Rare cases of allergic dermatitis have been caused by turmeric.
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