The ground root of the herb turmeric, or Curcuma longa, is a popular spice in Indian cuisine. It's a key ingredient in many curries, for instance. Turmeric is also used medicinally to treat many complaints. Among its wide range of properties is the ability to inhibit the growth and development of some fungi. Ongoing clinical trials indicate a potential natural solution for both human fungal diseases and the constant threat of agricultural fungal infection.
Please consult your physician before attempting any herbal remedies at home.
Curcumin
The yellow pigment in turmeric root that gives curries their characteristic coloring is called "curcumin," according to a paper published by the Sudan University of Science and Technology. Chemically known as diferuloyl methane, curcumin is one of the active ingredients in turmeric that exhibits antifungal activity.
Aromatic Turmerone
Another compound in turmeric with antifungal properties is aromatic turmerone, abbreviated ar-turmerone. A report published in the journal "Agricultural Chemistry & Biotechnology" in 2003 describes ar-turmerone as a "sesquiterpene ketone."
Agricultural Testing
A 2003 article in "Agricultural Chemistry & Biotechnology" concerns a study of the effect of turmeric-derived materials on six phytopathogenic fungi. The methanol extract derived from turmeric root "exhibited good fungicidal activity" against three of the six fungi, indicating that "ar-turmerone confirms its usefulness as a good disease control agent."
Curcumin also demonstrated fungicidal activity in a study reported in "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" in 2003. According to the article abstract, "Curcumin was isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction using chromatographic techniques and showed fungicidal activities against P. infestans, Pu. recondita, and R. solani with 100, 100, and 63% control values at 500 mg/L and 85, 76, and 45% control values at 250 mg/L, respectively."
Medical Testing
A 2008 article in "The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy" reports on a study of curcumin's antifungal effect in the treatment of human infections. The study found that "curcumin was a more potent antifungal than fluconazole against P. brasiliensis, the causal agent of the neglected disease paracoccidioidomycosis." Furthermore, "curcumin dramatically inhibited the adhesion of Candida species isolated from AIDS patients to BEC, demonstrating that curcumin is a promising lead compound that warrants further investigation into its therapeutical use in immunocompromised patients."
The article additionally concludes that, given the dearth of synthetic antifungal compounds with reduced side effects on the market, it's especially important to study natural products such as curcumin.
A study reported on in a 1995 issue of "Journal of Ethnopharmacology" found that turmeric oil demonstrated effective inhibitory activity against 15 isolates of Trichophyton-induced dermatophytes in guinea pigs and four isolates of pathogenic molds. By contrast, curcumin failed to inhibit either the dermatophytes or the molds.
Dosage and Side Effects
According to the University of Michigan Healthwise Knowledgebase, the usual recommendation is 250 to 500 mg three times daily of "turmeric extracts standardized at 90 to 95% curcumin." At this dosage, the Healthwise Knowledgebase says that turmeric is generally safe. Additionally, no adverse reactions have been reported even when large amounts of turmeric are consumed in food. Nevertheless, some herbal experts believe turmeric can cause uterine contractions. They advise against using turmeric during pregnancy for this reason. They also recommend consulting your healthcare practitioner before using turmeric if you have gallstones or obstructed bile passages.
References
- "Natural Product Communications": Some Biological Properties of Curcumin: A Review"; 2006
- "Agricultural Chemistry & Biotechnology": Fungicidal Activity of Ar-Turmerone Identified in Curcuma Longa Rhizome Against Six Phytopathogenic Fungi; 2003
- "Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry": Fungicidal Property of Curcuma Longa L. Rhizome-Derived Curcumin Against Phytopathogenic Fungi in a Greenhouse; 2003
- "Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy": Curcumin [Turmeric] as a Promising Antifungal; Nov 2008
- "Journal of Ethnopharmacology": Antifungal Activity of Turmeric Oil Extracted From Curcuma Longa (Zingiberaceae); December 1995
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