Curcuma

Turmeric: much more than a spice

Behind its intense yellow color hides a rhizome particularly rich in bioactive compounds.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is a plant in the Zingiberaceae family, traditionally used in Asia for centuries. The main part used is its rhizome, which can be identified by its characteristic yellow-orange color.

It naturally contains different compounds, including curcuminoids, including curcumin is the majority representative.

But turmeric powder, turmeric extract, and curcumin don’t mean exactly the same thing. Origin, part used, curcuminoid concentration and extraction process are all criteria for differentiating raw materials.

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Content

  1. What is turmeric?
  2. What is in turmeric?
  3. What are the differences between curcuma, curcuminoids, and curcumin?
  4. Turmeric powder or extract: what are the differences?
  5. Why do we talk so much about bioavailability?
  6. Why is turmeric being studied so much?
  7. How do I choose a turmeric extract?
  8. In which Phron Pharm formulas is turmeric found?
  9. To remember
A plant used for centuries.

1. What is turmeric?

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Zingiberaceae family, just like ginger.

Native to South Asia, it is now grown in several tropical regions, including India.

The main part used is rhizome, an underground stem that concentrates different compounds characteristic of the plant.

Once harvested, it can be dried and ground into a powder; this is one of the most common forms of turmeric spice.

But as a food supplement, you can also use concentrated and standardized extracts, whose composition is very different from that of a simple turmeric powder.

D'ou vient l'huile d'argousier

2. What does turmeric contain?

The turmeric rhizome contains many natural compounds, including and an aromatic fraction containing various volatile molecules.

CURCUMINE

The most studied and major curcuminoid.

DEMETHOXYCURCUMIN

Another naturally occurring curcuminoid in the rhizome.

BISDÉMÉTHOXYCURCUMINE

Present in lower proportion.

The proportions vary depending on the variety of turmeric and the type of extract used.

3. Turmeric, curcuminoids and curcumin: what are the differences?

CURCUMA

The whole plant, Curcuma longa, the rhizome of which is mainly used.

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CURCUMINOIDS

A family of compounds naturally found in the turmeric rhizome.

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CURCUMIN

The main curcuminoid in turmeric and the one that has been the subject of the most scientific work.

Curcuma ≠ curcumine. La curcumine est l'un des composés naturellement présents dans le curcuma.

4. Turmeric powder or extract: what’s the difference?

RHIZOME POWDER 

The rhizome is dried and then crushed.

It retains the different naturally occurring constituents in the plant, but its curcuminoid content is relatively low and can vary.

TURMERIC EXTRACT

Some constituents of the rhizome are extracted to obtain a raw material more concentrated and standardized.

For example, an excerpt can be titled at :

X% curcuminoids

This means that its curcuminoid content is controlled and guaranteed according to the raw material specifications.

D'ou vient l'huile d'argousier

5. Why are we talking so much about bioavailability?

Curcumin has an important characteristic: its oral bioavailability is naturally limited.

After ingestion, only a portion of curcumin reaches free circulation, notably due to its low water solubility and rapid metabolism.

This is why different strategies have been developed to modify its absorption or exposure in the body.

  • association with piperine
  • lipid formulations
  • phospholipids / phytosomes
  • specific formulation complexes or technologies
The quantity of turmeric indicated on a label is therefore not always sufficient to compare two products. The form used, its standardization and formulation technology are also important to consider.

6. Why is turmeric being studied so much?

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) and its main constituents, curcuminoids, are the subject of extensive scientific research.

Among them, the curcumin is particularly studied. The work focuses in particular on its biological properties, its bioavailability and on different formulations allowing to modify its absorption.

What the research studies

Sea buckthorn oil is the subject of scientific research due to its specific lipid profile, its richness in different fatty acids and the natural presence of compounds such as tocopherols and carotenoids.

Several clinical studies have focused in particular on its oral consumption and on various parameters related to mucous membranes, eye comfort, and skin.

Curcuma longa extract and articulation

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in 70 individuals with symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee with synovitis effusion.

During 12 weeks, participants were given either an extract of , or a placebo.

Researchers observed a significant improvement in some pain scores in the extract group compared to placebo. On the other hand, no significant difference was observed in the volume of synovial effusion measured by MRI.

Wang Z. et al., 2020—Annals of Internal Medicine.

Curcumin and joint comfort

Another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involved 101 adults with knee osteoarthritis.

Participants received for 8 weeks either a standardized extract of curcumin at the rate of 500 mg twice daily, which is a placebo.

At the end of the study, researchers observed a significantly greater improvement in some knee pain scores in the curcumin group compared to placebo. Some functional measures also improved, while others showed no significant difference.

Lopresti A.L. et al., 2021—Nutrients, 14(1), 41.
DOI: 10.3390/nu14010041

Curcumin and bioavailability

Curcumin is also widely studied for another reason: it’s low oral bioavailability in its native form.

A randomized, double-blind, cross-over study conducted at 12 healthy adults compared different formulations delivering the same dose of 207 mg curcumin.

Researchers compared native curcumin with several formulation technologies: liposomes, turmeric oils, adjuvants including piperine, submicron particles, phytosomes, γ-complexcyclodextrin and micelles.

The results show significant differences in bioavailability between the studied formulations, which illustrates the importance of the galenic form and the technology used, beyond the only amount of curcumin indicated.

Flory S. et al., 2021—Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.
DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.202100613

What the overall research shows

Une méta-analyse publiée en 2021 a regroupé 10 essais randomisés contrôlés représentant 783 participants et portant sur différents extraits de Curcuma longa dans l'arthrose du genou.

Les résultats regroupés étaient en faveur des extraits de curcuma sur certains paramètres de douleur et de fonction par rapport au placebo. Les auteurs soulignent cependant l'hétérogénéité des études et la nécessité de disposer d'essais de meilleure qualité et de plus grande ampleur.

Panknin T.M. et al., 2021 — Revue systématique et méta-analyse.

To remember

Not all research on turmeric is focused on the same raw material. Turmeric powder, extract of Curcuma longa, curcuminoids, or formulated curcumin may have different compositions and bioavailability.

So study results should always be interpreted with the studied extract, its standardization, the dose used, its formulation, the population studied and the duration of the study.

7. How to choose a turmeric extract?

Verify the part used

Prioritize clear identification of the plant and the part used:

Curcuma longa L. — rhizome

See if it’s a powder or extract

1000 mg turmeric powder and 1000 mg standardized extract do not necessarily represent the same amount of curcuminoids.

Check standardization

A label like:

Curcuminoid extract titrated to X%

gives you a better idea of how much of the characteristic compounds are added.

Look at the actual amount contributed

Don’t just look at the big numbers on the front.

extract quantity → % curcuminoids → actual quantity of curcuminoids

Look at the wording

Since curcumin is naturally not very bioavailable, the type of extract and its formulation are also interesting criteria for comparing two products.

8. In which Sima Pharm formulas is turmeric found?

To remember

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is more than just a spice. Its rhizome naturally contains a family of compounds called curcuminoids, of which curcumin is the major and most studied representative.

Not all turmeric-based products are equivalent. Part used, powder or extract, curcuminoid standardization, actual quantity supplied, and formulation are all criteria to be considered in order to better understand their composition.