Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is the natural plant chemical (phytochemical) in the common, bright yellow spice named turmeric. Indian, Chinese, and Western herbal medicines traditionally use turmeric, for conditions such as poor digestion, abdominal pain, and distension. In 1999, the World Health Organization recommended it for treatment of acid reflux, wind and dyspepsia, as used in Ayurvedic medicine.

For the past 20 years scientists have been using curcumin in various scientific studies, initially using cells and mice or rats, and there are now 100’s of clinical trial results with human patients looking at problems effecting every organ in the body. Much of the ability to improve symptoms revolves around its strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties1.

A clinical trial from the UK involving 207 irritable bowel syndrome patients showed improvement in their symptoms after the researchers had them take turmeric tablets. The researchers recommend further, larger, placebo-controlled studies2.

A clinical study from Australia involved an 8-week, parallel-group, double-blind, randomised controlled trial.  79 adults with self-reported digestive complaints were recruited and randomised to receive either a placebo or 500 mg of the curcumin extract. The curcumin extract was associated with greater improvements in digestive complaints and anxiety levels in adults with self-reported digestive complaints3. 

Other clinical trials support a potential therapeutic role for curcumin specifically in familial adenomatous polyposis, inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, hypercholesteremia, atherosclerosis, pancreatitis, psoriasis, chronic anterior uveitis, and arthritis. Thus, researchers suggest that curcumin – a spice once relegated to the kitchen shelf – has moved into the clinic and may prove to be ‘Curecumin’.4

Curcumin is currently a keenly studied compound, with 326 registered clinical trials on the clinical trials website as of September October 20235.

Enjoy the delicious, aromatic experience of turmeric and its healing properties in your food, or try a food supplement!

1. GB Article 13.1 Botanicals On-Hold List.

2. Bundy R et al. Turmeric Extract May Improve Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptomology in Otherwise Healthy Adults: A Pilot Study. The Journal Of Alternative And Complementary Medicine. 2004;10(6):1015-1018.

3. Lopresti AL et al. Efficacy of a curcumin extract (Curcugen™) on gastrointestinal symptoms and intestinal microbiota in adults with self-reported digestive complaints: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2021 Jan 21;21(1):40. 

4. Goel A et al. Curcumin as “Curecumin”: From kitchen to clinic. Biochemical Pharmacology. 2008;75(4):787-809

5. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=curcumin&pg=1