Turmeric is a spice that contains curcumin, a compound with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Turmeric supplements may help with arthritis pain and inflammation. Here, we are going to review a few articles on this topic:
Vishnu Mittal and colleagues have published an article on herbal interventions in rheumatoid arthritis treatment. The article suggests turmeric may be helpful in managing Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms. The review highlights turmeric's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which might be crucial in alleviating Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms. Turmeric may work by modulating inflammatory pathways, potentially reducing inflammation in the joints – a hallmark of Rheumatoid Arthritis. While the evidence is promising, more rigorous clinical trials are needed to confirm how effective and safe turmeric is for Rheumatoid Arthritis. (1)
While, Carla Gasbarri and Guido Angelini focus more on the active ingredients of tumeric. They state that curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric and is often credited with its health benefits.However, turmeric also contains another natural compound called cyclocurcumin. Although they have the same chemical formula, they behave differently. Curcumin can change its structure slightly depending on the environment, while cyclocurcumin can change shape. While curcumin gets most of the attention for its potential health benefits, cyclocurcumin is also interesting to scientists because it may act as an antioxidant, fight enzymes, and even combat viruses. Early research suggests it might be useful for treating degenerative diseases and heart problems. However, despite its potential, cyclocurcumin's use in medicine is limited because it's difficult for the body to absorb. (2)
Tingting Deng and co-workers consider that "Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by synovial inflammation, cartilage destruction, pannus formation and bone erosion. Various immune cells, including macrophages, are involved in RA pathogenesis." They are looking at curcumin as a potential treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and damage to joints. Part of the problem is that immune system cells called macrophages become unbalanced. These macrophages can either be helpful (M2) or harmful (M1) in RA. Curcumin seems to work by tipping the balance towards the helpful M2 macrophages, which might reduce inflammation and joint damage in RA. However, more research is needed to fully understand how effective curcumin might be. (3)
REFERENCE
1. Vishnu Mittal et al, Nature's Pharmacy: Herbal Interventions in Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment: A Comprehensive Review, Curr Rheumatol Rev. 2024 Apr 25. doi: 10.2174/0115733971294467240326074155.
2. Carla Gasbarri et al, Cyclocurcumin as Promising Bioactive Natural Compound: An Overview, Molecules. 2024 Mar 24;29(7):1451.
3. Tingting Deng et al, Immunomodulatory effects of curcumin on macrophage polarization in rheumatoid arthritis,Front Pharmacol. 2024 Feb 28:15:1369337.