Curcumin and Inflammatory Diseases: Learn About Its Potential Role in Prevention and Treatment

The spice turmeric has been used for centuries not only to flavor, color, and preserve foods but also as a medicinal remedy, and it has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of inflammatory disorders. Turmeric is derived from the plant Curcuma longa, a member of the ginger family, and its rhizome (root) is the most useful part for culinary and medicinal purposes. Turmeric contains three naturally occurring phytochemicals called curcuminoids: curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin, though the terms “curcumin” and “curcuminoids” frequently are used interchangeably in the research literature. Curcumin is one of the principal healthful components of turmeric, comprising 2% to 5% of most turmeric preparations and giving the spice its characteristic yellow color.