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Dietary Curcumin and Health Effects

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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemicals and Human Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2021) | Viewed by 107107

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Dr. Roberta Masella

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Guest Editor

Gender-Specific Prevention and Health Unit, Centre for Gender-Specific Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
Interests: nutrition; diet; Mediterranean diet; obesity; diabetes; gender
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Francesca Cirulli

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Guest Editor

Istituto Superiore Di Sanita, Rome, Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Rome, Italy
Interests: stress; oxidative stress; neuroendocrine interaction; mental disorders

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Curcumin is a pleiotropic compound found in the rhizome of Curcuma longa (turmeric). Curcuma longa is widely used as a spice, especially in Asian countries, but today, it is consumed as dietary component and supplement worldwide. Curcumin has been eliciting great interest because of its potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties. It has been shown that curcumin might target multiple signaling molecules modulating a number of cellular activities, most likely responsible for its health benefits. In particular, due to its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, curcumin has been considered as an effective tool in preventing and counteracting chronic–degenerative diseases, very often associated with obesity and aging, such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic dysfunctions, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer, whose etiopathogenesis supports a pivotal role for oxidative and inflammatory processes. However, despite its reported benefits, one of the major problems with ingesting curcumin by itself is its poor bioavailability, which results from poor absorption, rapid metabolism, and rapid elimination. Therefore, great efforts have been made to improve curcumin’s bioavailability by addressing these various mechanisms. We aim at collecting the most advanced data on this topic with a multifaceted and multidisciplinary approach with the ultimate objective to improve research and move forward the field.

Dr. Roberta Masella
Dr. Francesca Cirulli
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Chemistry
Metabolism
Bioavailability
Molecular mechanisms of action
Diet
Supplements
Interaction with other dietary components
Aging
Neurodegeneration
Metabolic diseases
Cancer Oxidative processes
Inflammation
Anxiety and mood disorders
Adjuvant in therapy

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Published Papers (13 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

5 pages, 199 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Curcumin: A Promising Tool to Develop Preventive and Therapeutic Strategies against Non-Communicable Diseases, Still Requiring Verification by Sound Clinical Trials

by Roberta Masella and Francesca Cirulli

Nutrients 2022, 14(7), 1401; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14071401 - 28 Mar 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2301

Abstract

Curcumin is a pleiotropic compound found in the rhizome of Curcuma longa (turmeric) [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Curcumin and Health Effects)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

17 pages, 3776 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cytotoxic, Genotoxic and Senolytic Potential of Native and Micellar Curcumin

by Lea Beltzig, Anna Frumkina, Christian Schwarzenbach and Bernd Kaina

Nutrients 2021, 13(7), 2385; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13072385 - 13 Jul 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4166

Abstract

Background: Curcumin, a natural polyphenol and the principal bioactive compound in Curcuma longa, was reported to have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic and anti-rheumatic activity. Curcumin is not only considered for preventive, but also for therapeutic, purposes in cancer therapy, which requires a killing effect on cancer cells. A drawback, however, is the low bioavailability of curcumin due to its insolubility in water. To circumvent this limitation, curcumin was administered in different water-soluble formulations, including liposomes or embedded into nanoscaled micelles. The high uptake rate of micellar curcumin makes it attractive also for cancer therapeutic strategies. Native curcumin solubilised in organic solvent was previously shown to be cytotoxic and bears a genotoxic potential. Corresponding studies with micellar curcumin are lacking. Methods: We compared the cytotoxic and genotoxic activity of native curcumin solubilised in ethanol (Cur-E) with curcumin embedded in micells (Cur-M). We measured cell death by MTT assays, apoptosis, necrosis by flow cytometry, senolysis by MTT and C12FDG and genotoxicity by FPG-alkaline and neutral singe-cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay). Results: Using a variety of primary and established cell lines, we show that Cur-E and Cur-M reduce the viability in all cell types in the same dose range. Cur-E and Cur-M induced dose-dependently apoptosis, but did not exhibit senolytic activity. In the cytotoxic dose range, Cur-E and Cur-M were positive in the alkaline and the neutral comet assay. Genotoxic effects vanished upon removal of curcumin, indicating efficient and complete repair of DNA damage. For inducing cell death, which was measured 48 h after the onset of treatment, permanent exposure was required while 60 min pulse-treatment was ineffective. In all assays, Cur-E and Cur-M were equally active, and the concentration above which significant cytotoxic and genotoxic effects were observed was 10 µM. Micelles not containing curcumin were completely inactive. Conclusions: The data show that micellar curcumin has the same cytotoxicity and genotoxicity profile as native curcumin. The effective concentration on different cell lines, including primary cells, was far above the curcumin concentration that can be achieved systemically in vivo, which leads us to conclude that native curcumin and curcumin administered as food supplement in a micellar formulation at the ADI level are not cytotoxic/genotoxic, indicating a wide margin of safety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Curcumin and Health Effects)

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13 pages, 419 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Exploratory Analysis of Changes in Mental Wellbeing Following Curcumin and Fish Oil Supplementation in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

by Julia C. Kuszewski, Peter R. C. Howe and Rachel H. X. Wong

Nutrients 2020, 12(10), 2902; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12102902 - 23 Sep 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5978

Abstract

Curcumin has previously been shown to enhance mood in non-depressed older adults. However, observed benefits were limited to short-term supplementation (4 weeks). In a 16 week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2 × 2 factorial design trial, we supplemented overweight or obese non-depressed adults (50–80 years) with curcumin (160 mg/day), fish oil (2000 mg docosahexaenoic acid +400 mg eicosapentaenoic acid/day), or a combination of both. Secondary outcomes included mental wellbeing measures (mood states and subjective memory complaints (SMCs)) and quality of life (QoL). Furthermore, plasma apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4) was measured to determine whether APOE4 status influences responses to fish oil. Curcumin improved vigour (p = 0.044) compared to placebo and reduced SMCs compared to no curcumin treatment (p = 0.038). Fish oil did not affect any mood states, SMCs or QoL; however, responses to fish oil were affected by APOE4 status. In APOE4 non-carriers, fish oil increased vigour (p = 0.030) and reduced total mood disturbances (p = 0.048) compared to placebo. Improvements in mental wellbeing were correlated with increased QoL. Combining curcumin with fish oil did not result in additive effects. This exploratory analysis indicates that regular supplementation with either curcumin or fish oil (limited to APOE4 non-carriers) has the potential to improve some aspects of mental wellbeing in association with better QoL. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Curcumin and Health Effects)

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11 pages, 1009 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dietary Supplementation with Curcumin Reduce Circulating Levels of Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β and Islet Amyloid Polypeptide in Adults with High Risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease

by Rohith N Thota, Jessica I Rosato, Cintia B Dias, Tracy L Burrows, Ralph N Martins and Manohar L Garg

Nutrients 2020, 12(4), 1032; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12041032 - 9 Apr 2020

Cited by 71 | Viewed by 8390

Abstract

Dietary supplementation with curcumin has been previously reported to have beneficial effects in people with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes (T2D) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with curcumin on key peptides implicated in insulin resistance in individuals with high risk of developing T2D. Plasma samples from participants recruited for a randomised controlled trial with curcumin (180 mg/day) for 12 weeks were analysed for circulating glycogen synthase kinase-3 β (GSK-3β) and islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP). Outcome measures were determined using ELISA kits. The homeostasis model for assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was measured as parameters of glycaemic control. Curcumin supplementation significantly reduced circulating GSK-3β (−2.4 ± 0.4 ng/mL vs. −0.3 ± 0.6, p = 0.0068) and IAPP (−2.0 ± 0.7 ng/mL vs. 0.4 ± 0.6, p = 0.0163) levels compared with the placebo group. Curcumin supplementation significantly reduced insulin resistance (−0.3 ± 0.1 vs. 0.01 ± 0.05, p = 0.0142) compared with placebo group. Dietary supplementation with curcumin reduced circulating levels of IAPP and GSK-3β, thus suggesting a novel mechanism through which curcumin could potentially be used for alleviating insulin resistance related markers for reducing the risk of T2D and AD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Curcumin and Health Effects)

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Review

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12 pages, 3680 KiB

Open AccessReview

Curcumin and Its Potential Impact on Microbiota

by Marzena Jabczyk, Justyna Nowak, Bartosz Hudzik and Barbara Zubelewicz-Szkodzińska

Nutrients 2021, 13(6), 2004; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13062004 - 10 Jun 2021

Cited by 55 | Viewed by 8074

Abstract

Curcumin is one of the most frequently researched herbal substances; however, it has been reported to have a poor bioavailability and fast metabolism, which has led to doubts about its effectiveness. Curcumin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and has demonstrated favorable health effects. Nevertheless, well-reported in vivo pharmacological activities of curcumin are limited by its poor solubility, bioavailability, and pharmacokinetic profile. The bidirectional interactions between curcumin and gut microbiota play key roles in understanding the ambiguity between the bioavailability and biological activity of curcumin, including its wider health impact. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Curcumin and Health Effects)

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18 pages, 2172 KiB

Open AccessReview

Curcuma Longa, the “Golden Spice” to Counteract Neuroinflammaging and Cognitive Decline—What Have We Learned and What Needs to Be Done

by Alessandra Berry, Barbara Collacchi, Roberta Masella, Rosaria Varì and Francesca Cirulli

Nutrients 2021, 13(5), 1519; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13051519 - 30 Apr 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6466

Abstract

Due to the global increase in lifespan, the proportion of people showing cognitive impairment is expected to grow exponentially. As target-specific drugs capable of tackling dementia are lagging behind, the focus of preclinical and clinical research has recently shifted towards natural products. Curcumin, one of the best investigated botanical constituents in the biomedical literature, has been receiving increased interest due to its unique molecular structure, which targets inflammatory and antioxidant pathways. These pathways have been shown to be critical for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and more in general for cognitive decline. Despite the substantial preclinical literature on the potential biomedical effects of curcumin, its relatively low bioavailability, poor water solubility and rapid metabolism/excretion have hampered clinical trials, resulting in mixed and inconclusive findings. In this review, we highlight current knowledge on the potential effects of this natural compound on cognition. Furthermore, we focus on new strategies to overcome current limitations in its use and improve its efficacy, with attention also on gender-driven differences. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Curcumin and Health Effects)

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13 pages, 580 KiB

Open AccessReview

Obesity-Associated Inflammation: Does Curcumin Exert a Beneficial Role?

by Rosaria Varì, Beatrice Scazzocchio, Annalisa Silenzi, Claudio Giovannini and Roberta Masella

Nutrients 2021, 13(3), 1021; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13031021 - 22 Mar 2021

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 7348

Abstract

Curcumin is a lipophilic polyphenol, isolated from the plant turmeric of Curcuma longa. Curcuma longa has always been used in traditional medicine in Asian countries because it is believed to have numerous health benefits. Nowadays it is widely used as spice component and in emerging nutraceutical food worldwide. Numerous studies have shown that curcumin possesses, among others, potential anti-inflammatory properties. Obesity represents a main risk factor for several chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some types of cancer. The establishment of a low-grade chronic inflammation, both systemically and locally in adipose tissue, occurring in obesity most likely represents a main factor in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases. The molecular mechanisms responsible for the onset of the obesity-associated inflammation are different from those involved in the classic inflammatory response caused by infections and involves different signaling pathways. The inflammatory process in obese people is triggered by an inadequate intake of nutrients that produces quantitative and qualitative alterations of adipose tissue lipid content, as well as of various molecules that act as endogenous ligands to activate immune cells. In particular, dysfunctional adipocytes secrete inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, the adipocytokines, able to recruit immune cells into adipose tissue, amplifying the inflammatory response also at systemic level. This review summarizes the most recent studies focused at elucidating the molecular targets of curcumin activity responsible for its anti-inflammatory properties in obesity-associated inflammation and related pathologies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Curcumin and Health Effects)

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20 pages, 1503 KiB

Open AccessReview

Anticancer Mechanism of Curcumin on Human Glioblastoma

by Shu Chyi Wong, Muhamad Noor Alfarizal Kamarudin and Rakesh Naidu

Nutrients 2021, 13(3), 950; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13030950 - 16 Mar 2021

Cited by 59 | Viewed by 7393

Abstract

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most malignant brain tumor and accounts for most adult brain tumors. Current available treatment options for GBM are multimodal, which include surgical resection, radiation, and chemotherapy. Despite the significant advances in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, GBM remains largely resistant to treatment, with a poor median survival rate between 12 and 18 months. With increasing drug resistance, the introduction of phytochemicals into current GBM treatment has become a potential strategy to combat GBM. Phytochemicals possess multifarious bioactivities with multitarget sites and comparatively marginal toxicity. Among them, curcumin is the most studied compound described as a potential anticancer agent due to its multi-targeted signaling/molecular pathways properties. Curcumin possesses the ability to modulate the core pathways involved in GBM cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, autophagy, paraptosis, oxidative stress, and tumor cell motility. This review discusses curcumin’s anticancer mechanism through modulation of Rb, p53, MAPK, P13K/Akt, JAK/STAT, Shh, and NF-κB pathways, which are commonly involved and dysregulated in preclinical and clinical GBM models. In addition, limitation issues such as bioavailability, pharmacokinetics perspectives strategies, and clinical trials were discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Curcumin and Health Effects)

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12 pages, 2169 KiB

Open AccessReview

Potential Therapeutic Effects of Curcumin on Glycemic and Lipid Profile in Uncomplicated Type 2 Diabetes—A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trial

by Emma Altobelli, Paolo Matteo Angeletti, Ciro Marziliano, Marianna Mastrodomenico, Anna Rita Giuliani and Reimondo Petrocelli

Nutrients 2021, 13(2), 404; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13020404 - 27 Jan 2021

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 5954

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is an important issue for public health, and it is growing in the world. In recent years, there has been a growing research interest on efficacy evidence of the curcumin use in the regulation of glycemia and lipidaemia. The molecular structure of curcumins allows to intercept reactive oxygen species (ROI) that are particularly harmful in chronic inflammation and tumorigenesis models. The aim of our study performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of curcumin on glycemic and lipid profile in subjects with uncomplicated type 2 diabetes. The papers included in the meta-analysis were sought in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Clinicaltrials.gov, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases as of October 2020. The sizes were pooled across studies in order to obtain an overall effect size. A random effects model was used to account for different sources of variation among studies. Cohen’s d, with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used as a measure of the effect size. Heterogeneity was assessed while using Q statistics. The ANOVA-Q test was used to value the differences among groups. Publication bias was analyzed and represented by a funnel plot. Curcumin treatment does not show a statistically significant reduction between treated and untreated patients. On the other hand, glycosylated hemoglobin, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) showed a statistically significant reduction in subjects that were treated with curcumin, respectively (p = 0.008, p < 0.001, p = 0.021). When considering HBA1c, the meta-regressions only showed statistical significance for gender (p = 0.034). Our meta-analysis seems to confirm the benefits on glucose metabolism, with results that appear to be more solid than those of lipid metabolism. However, further studies are needed in order to test the efficacy and safety of curcumin in uncomplicated type 2 diabetes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Curcumin and Health Effects)

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22 pages, 1653 KiB

Open AccessReview

Curcumin from Turmeric Rhizome: A Potential Modulator of DNA Methylation Machinery in Breast Cancer Inhibition

by Krystyna Fabianowska-Majewska, Agnieszka Kaufman-Szymczyk, Aldona Szymanska-Kolba, Jagoda Jakubik, Grzegorz Majewski and Katarzyna Lubecka

Nutrients 2021, 13(2), 332; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13020332 - 23 Jan 2021

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 7085

Abstract

One of the most systematically studied bioactive nutraceuticals for its benefits in the management of various diseases is the turmeric-derived compounds: curcumin. Turmeric obtained from the rhizome of a perennial herb Curcuma longa L. is a condiment commonly used in our diet. Curcumin is well known for its potential role in inhibiting cancer by targeting epigenetic machinery, with DNA methylation at the forefront. The dynamic DNA methylation processes serve as an adaptive mechanism to a wide variety of environmental factors, including diet. Every healthy tissue has a precise DNA methylation pattern that changes during cancer development, forming a cancer-specific design. Hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes, global DNA demethylation, and promoter hypomethylation of oncogenes and prometastatic genes are hallmarks of nearly all types of cancer, including breast cancer. Curcumin has been shown to modulate epigenetic events that are dysregulated in cancer cells and possess the potential to prevent cancer or enhance the effects of conventional anti-cancer therapy. Although mechanisms underlying curcumin-mediated changes in the epigenome remain to be fully elucidated, the mode of action targeting both hypermethylated and hypomethylated genes in cancer is promising for cancer chemoprevention. This review provides a comprehensive discussion of potential epigenetic mechanisms of curcumin in reversing altered patterns of DNA methylation in breast cancer that is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among females worldwide. Insight into the other bioactive components of turmeric rhizome as potential epigenetic modifiers has been indicated as well. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Curcumin and Health Effects)

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18 pages, 371 KiB

Open AccessReview

Curcumin: Could This Compound Be Useful in Pregnancy and Pregnancy-Related Complications?

by Tiziana Filardi, Rosaria Varì, Elisabetta Ferretti, Alessandra Zicari, Susanna Morano and Carmela Santangelo

Nutrients 2020, 12(10), 3179; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12103179 - 17 Oct 2020

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 9131

Abstract

Curcumin, the main polyphenol contained in turmeric root (Curcuma longa), has played a significant role in medicine for centuries. The growing interest in plant-derived substances has led to increased consumption of them also in pregnancy. The pleiotropic and multi-targeting actions of curcumin have made it very attractive as a health-promoting compound. In spite of the beneficial effects observed in various chronic diseases in humans, limited and fragmentary information is currently available about curcumin’s effects on pregnancy and pregnancy-related complications. It is known that immune-metabolic alterations occurring during pregnancy have consequences on both maternal and fetal tissues, leading to short- and long-term complications. The reported anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitoxicant, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, antiapoptotic, antiangiogenic, anti-hypertensive, and antidiabetic properties of curcumin appear to be encouraging, not only for the management of pregnancy-related disorders, including gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), preeclampsia (PE), depression, preterm birth, and fetal growth disorders but also to contrast damage induced by natural and chemical toxic agents. The current review summarizes the latest data, mostly obtained from animal models and in vitro studies, on the impact of curcumin on the molecular mechanisms involved in pregnancy pathophysiology, with the aim to shed light on the possible beneficial and/or adverse effects of curcumin on pregnancy outcomes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Curcumin and Health Effects)

18 pages, 832 KiB

Open AccessReview

Interaction between Gut Microbiota and Curcumin: A New Key of Understanding for the Health Effects of Curcumin

by Beatrice Scazzocchio, Luisa Minghetti and Massimo D’Archivio

Nutrients 2020, 12(9), 2499; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12092499 - 19 Aug 2020

Cited by 152 | Viewed by 19740

Abstract

Curcumin, a lipophilic polyphenol contained in the rhizome of Curcuma longa (turmeric), has been used for centuries in traditional Asian medicine, and nowadays it is widely used in food as dietary spice worldwide. It has received considerable attention for its pharmacological activities, which appear to act primarily through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms. For this reason, it has been proposed as a tool for the management of many diseases, among which are gastrointestinal and neurological diseases, diabetes, and several types of cancer. However, the pharmacology of curcumin remains to be elucidated; indeed, a discrepancy exists between the well-documented in vitro and in vivo activities of curcumin and its poor bioavailability and chemical instability that should limit any therapeutic effect. Recently, it has been hypothesized that curcumin could exert direct regulative effects primarily in the gastrointestinal tract, where high concentrations of this polyphenol have been detected after oral administration. Consequently, it might be hypothesized that curcumin directly exerts its regulatory effects on the gut microbiota, thus explaining the paradox between its low systemic bioavailability and its wide pharmacological activities. It is well known that the microbiota has several important roles in human physiology, and its composition can be influenced by a multitude of environmental and lifestyle factors. Accordingly, any perturbations in gut microbiome profile or dysbiosis can have a key role in human disease progression. Interestingly, curcumin and its metabolites have been shown to influence the microbiota. It is worth noting that from the interaction between curcumin and microbiota two different phenomena arise: the regulation of intestinal microflora by curcumin and the biotransformation of curcumin by gut microbiota, both of them potentially crucial for curcumin activity. This review summarizes the most recent studies on this topic, highlighting the strong connection between curcumin and gut microbiota, with the final aim of adding new insight into the potential mechanisms by which curcumin exerts its effects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Curcumin and Health Effects)

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13 pages, 905 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Use of Curcumin as a Complementary Therapy in Ulcerative Colitis: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials

by Mariana Roque Coelho, Marcela Diogo Romi, Daniele Masterson Tavares Pereira Ferreira, Cyrla Zaltman and Marcia Soares-Mota

Nutrients 2020, 12(8), 2296; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12082296 - 31 Jul 2020

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 13236

Abstract

The objective of this study was to systematically review the literature to verify the efficacy and safety of curcumin as a complementary therapy for the maintenance or induction of remission in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A comprehensive search was conducted by two independent authors in MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Lilacs, Food Science and Technology Abstracts, and ScienceDirect. The search terms “curcumin”, “curcuma”, “inflammatory bowel disease”, “proctocolitis”, “crohn disease”, and “inflammation” were combined to create search protocols. This study considered randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in any language before March 2020 that evaluated the effects of curcumin on inflammatory activity and the maintenance or remission of IBD patients. After duplicates were removed, 989 trials were identified, but only 11 met the eligibility criteria. Five of these were considered to be biased and were excluded. Therefore, six trials were considered in this review. All the studies included in the systematic review were placebo-controlled RCTs conducted on individuals with ulcerative colitis (UC). All the RCTs reported that curcumin was well tolerated and was not associated with any serious side effects. Studies show that curcumin may be a safe, effective therapy for maintaining remission in UC when administered with standard treatments. However, the same cannot be stated for Crohn’s disease due to the lack of low bias risk studies. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed before curcumin can be recommended as a complementary therapy for UC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Curcumin and Health Effects)

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