Science Confirms Turmeric As Effective As 14 Pharmaceutical Drugs

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turmeric-powder

By  Sayer Ji

Contributing Writer for Wake Up World

Turmeric is one the most thoroughly researched plants in existence today. Its medicinal properties and components (primarily  curcumin) have been the subject of over  5600 peer-reviewed and published biomedical studies. In fact, our five-year long research project on this  sacred plant  has revealed over 600 potential preventive and therapeutic applications, as well as 175 distinct beneficial physiological effects. This entire database of 1,585 ncbi-hyperlinked turmeric abstracts can be downloaded as a PDF at our  Downloadable Turmeric Document  page, and acquired either as a retail item or with 200 GMI-tokens, for those of you who are already are members and  receive them automatically each month.

Given the sheer density of research performed on this remarkable spice, it is no wonder that a growing number of studies have concluded that it compares favorably to a variety of conventional medications, including:

  • Lipitor/Atorvastatin (cholesterol medication): A 2008 study published in the journal  Drugs in R & D  found that a standardized preparation of curcuminoids from Turmeric compared favorably to the drug atorvastatin (trade name Lipitor) on endothelial dysfunction, the underlying pathology of the blood vessels that drives atherosclerosis, in association with reductions in inflammation and oxidative stress in type 2 diabetic patients.  [i] [For addition  curcumin and ‘high cholesterol’ research  – 8 abstracts]
  • Corticosteroids (steroid medications):  A 1999 study published in the  journal Phytotherapy Research  found that the primary polyphenol in turmeric, the saffron colored pigment known as curcumin, compared favorably to steroids in the management of chronic anterior uveitis, an inflammatory eye disease.[ii] A 2008 study published in  Critical Care Medicine  found that curcumin compared favorably to the corticosteroid drug dexamethasone in the animal model as an alternative therapy for protecting lung transplantation-associated injury by down-regulating inflammatory genes.[iii]  An earlier 2003 study published in  Cancer Letters  found the same drug also compared favorably to dexamethasone in a lung ischaemia-repurfusion injury model.[iv]    [for additional  curcumin and inflammation  research – 52 abstracts]
  • Prozac/Fluoxetine & Imipramine  (antidepressants):  A 2011 study published in the journalActa Poloniae Pharmaceutica  found that curcumin compared favorably to both drugs in reducing depressive behavior in an animal model.[v]  [for additional  curcumin and depression  research – 5 abstracts]
  • Aspirin (blood thinner):  A 1986 in vitro and ex vivo study published in the journalArzneimittelforschung  found that curcumin has anti-platelet and prostacyclin modulating effects compared to aspirin, indicating it may have value in patients prone to vascular thrombosis and requiring anti-arthritis therapy.[vi]    [for additional  curcumin and anti-platelet  research]
  • Anti-inflammatory Drugs: A 2004 study published in the journal  Oncogene  found that curcumin (as well as resveratrol) were effective alternatives to the drugs  aspirin, ibuprofen, sulindac, phenylbutazone, naproxen, indomethacin, diclofenac, dexamethasone, celecoxib, and tamoxifen  in exerting anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative activity against tumor cells.[vii]  [for additional  curcumin and anti-proliferative  research – 15 abstracts]
  • Oxaliplatin (chemotherapy drug): A 2007 study published in the  International Journal of Cancer  found that curcumin compares favorably with oxaliplatin as an antiproliferative agenet in colorectal cell lines.[viii]  [for additional  curcumin and colorectal cancer  research – 52 abstracts]
  • Metformin (diabetes drug): A 2009 study published in the journal  Biochemitry and Biophysical Research Community  explored how curcumin might be valuable in treating diabetes, finding that it activates AMPK (which increases glucose uptake) and suppresses gluconeogenic gene expression   (which suppresses glucose production in the liver) in hepatoma cells. Interestingly, they found curcumin to be 500 times to 100,000 times (in the form known as tetrahydrocurcuminoids(THC)) more potent than metformin in activating AMPK and its downstream target acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC).  [ix]

Another way in which turmeric and its components reveal their remarkable therapeutic properties is in research on drug resistant- and multi-drug resistant cancers.   We have two sections on our site dedicated to researching natural and  integrative therapies  on these topics, and while there are dozens of substances with demonstrable efficacy against these chemotherapy- and radiation-resistant cancers, curcumin tops both lists:

We have found no less than 54 studies indicating that curcumin can induce cell death or sensitize drug-resistant cancer cell lines to conventional treatment.[x]

We have identified 27 studies on curcumin’s ability to either induce cell death or sensitize multi-drug resistant cancer cell lines to conventional treatment.[xi]

Considering how strong a track record turmeric (curcumin) has, having been used as both food and medicine in a wide range of cultures, for thousands of years, a strong argument can be made for using curcumin as a drug alternative or adjuvant in cancer treatment.

Or, better yet, use certified organic (non-irradiated) turmeric in lower culinary doses on a daily basis so that heroic doses won’t be necessary later in life after a serious disease sets in. Nourishing yourself, rather than self-medicating with ‘nutraceuticals,’ should be the goal of a healthy diet. [learn more at Sayer Ji’s new collaborative project  EATomology]

Further articles by Sayer Ji

About the author:
Sayer-JiSayer Ji is the founder and director of www.GreenMedInfo.com and an advisory board member at the  National Health Federation, an international nonprofit, consumer-education, health-freedom organization. He co-authored the book  Cancer Killers: The Cause Is The Cure, and is working on another one with Tania Melkonian titled  EATomology: An Edible Philosophy of Food.

Check out Sayer Ji’s new collaborative project  EATomology.

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