CURCUMIN: A YELLOW MAGICAL SPICE OF KITCHEN FOR TREATMENT OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Abstract

Over many millennia, natural products were the only means to treat diseases and injuries. With the advances in molecular biology and combinatorial chemistry during the past few decades, natural products have taken a secondary role in drug discovery.

Curcumin is a yellow pigment isolated from the rhizome of perennial herb Curcuma longa family Zingiberaceae and has been popularly used as a food additive in kitchen. It has been extensively used in traditional medicine in India and other parts of the world. Rheumatic diseases have affected mankind since ages and are one of the commonest inflammatory conditions in developing countries. Arthritis is caused by continuous inflammation, which is a result from a complex series of actions and/or reactions triggered by the body's immunological response to tissue damage.

In this review, available treatment and role of Curcumin for its treatment has been explored. The purpose of this review is to provide a brief summary of the current knowledge of the effects of curcumin as reported in basic science publications, clinical trials, and previous reviews.

Curcumin has the potential for the development of modern medicine for the treatment of various diseases.