Biological Effects of Curcuma , a Potential Safe Analgesic ; a Study on Ants as Models Marie -

We previously showed that the largely used analgesic paracetamol has several adverse effects, impacts the central nervous system, and leads to habituation as well as dependence. An extract of the rhizome of Curcuma longa is known for having analgesic properties, and may thus be used instead of paracetamol if it has no or very few adverse effects. Examining this food complement exactly as we examined paracetamol, we discovered that it is entirely safe. Contrary to paracetamol, it did not impact the ants’ orientation ability, trail following behavior, cognition, as well as visual and olfactory conditioning and memory. Like paracetamol, it did not affect the ants’ food consumption, general activity, audacity, relationship with brood and congeners, escaping ability. Moreover, curcuma leaded to no habituation (its effect remained intact over time) and to no dependence. It has an obvious analgesic effect. The latter effect persisted intact for about 5 hours after weaning, then decreased slowly over time, and vanished in a total of 11 13 hours after weaning, while the effect of paracetamol rapidly vanished in 4 hours. We thus recommend the use of curcuma instead of paracetamol for reducing pain perception, however without abuse since perceiving pain is an essential physiological trait informing the organism of some health problem.