There are several data in the literature indicating a great variety of pharmacological activities of Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae), which exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-human immunodeficiency virus, anti-bacteria, antioxidant effects and nematocidal activities. Curcumin is a major component in Curcuma longa L., being responsible for its biological actions. Other extracts of this plant has been showing potency too. In vitro, curcumin exhibits anti-parasitic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and gastrointestinal effects; and also inhibits carcinogenesis and cancer growth. In vivo, there are experiments showing the anti-parasitic, anti-inflammatory potency of curcumin and extracts of C. longa L. by parenteral and oral application in animal models. In this present work we make an overview of the pharmacological activities of C. longa L., showing its importance.

/pdf/biological-activities-of-curcuma-longa-l-2wc3ovx1jo.pdf

Biological activities of Curcuma longa L.

Recently, considerable attention has been focused on identifying naturally occurring chemopreventive substances capable of inhibiting, retarding, or reversing the multi-stage carcinogenesis. A wide array of phenolic substances, particularly those present in dietary and medicinal plants, have been reported to possess substantial anticarcinogenic and antimutagenic activities. The majority of these naturally occurring phenolics retain antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties which appear to contribute to their chemopreventive or chemoprotective activity. Capsaicin (trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide), a pungent ingredient of hot chili pepper, protects against experimentally-induced mutagenesis and tumorigenesis. It also induces apoptosis in various immortalized or malignant cell lines. Plants of ginger family (Zingiberaceae) have been frequently and widely used as spices and also, in traditional oriental medicine. Curcumin, a yellow ingredient from turmeric (Curcuma longa L., Zingiberaceae), has been extensively investigated for its cancer chemopreventive potential. Yakuchinone A [1-(4'-hydroxy-3'-methoxyphenyl)-7-phenyl-3-heptanone] and yakuchinone B [1-(4'-hydroxy-3'-methoxyphenyl)-7-phenylhept-1-en-3-one] present in Alpinia oxyphylla Miquel (Zingiberaceae) have inhibitory effects on phorbol ester-induced inflammation and skin carcinogenesis in mice, and oxidative stress in vitro. These diarylheptanoids suppress phorbol ester-induced activation of ornithine decarboxylase and production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha or interleukin-1alpha and their mRNA expression. They also nullified the phorbol ester-stimulated induction of activator protein 1 (AP-1) in cultured human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells. In addition, both yakuchinone A and B induced apoptotic death in HL-60 cells. Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Zingiberaceae) contains such pungent ingredients as [6]-gingerol and [6]-paradol, which also have anti-tumor promotional and antiproliferative effects. Resveratrol (3, 5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene), a phytoalexin found in grapes and other dietary and medicinal plants, and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, a major antioxidative green tea polyphenol, exert striking inhibitory effects on diverse cellular events associated with multi-stage carcinogenesis. In addition, these compounds have ability to suppress proliferation of human cancer cells via induction of apoptosis.

Molecular mechanisms of chemopreventive effects of selected dietary and medicinal phenolic substances.

Antioxidant activities of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin

Faced with the need to find new anti-inflammatory agents, great effort has been expended on the development of drugs for the treatment of inflammation. This disorder reduces the quality of life and overall average productivity, causing huge financial losses. In this review the anti-inflammatory activity of 32 bioactive monoterpenes found in essential oils is discussed. The data demonstrate the pharmacological potential of this group of natural chemicals to act as anti-inflammatory drugs.

/pdf/a-review-on-anti-inflammatory-activity-of-monoterpenes-4endx7yl5d.pdf

A review on anti-inflammatory activity of monoterpenes.

Many of the inflammatory diseases are becoming common in aging society throughout the world. The clinically used anti-inflammatory drugs suffer from the disadvantage of side effects and high cost of treatment (in case of biologics). Alternative to these drugs are traditional medicines and natural products, which offer a great hope in the identification of bioactive lead compounds and their development into drugs for treating inflammatory diseases. Since ancient times traditional medicines and phytopharmaceuticals are being used for the treatment of inflammatory and other disorders. The present review article describes anti-inflammatory natural products derived from plants and marine sources reported during last decade. The compounds described belong to different chemical classes such as alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, polyphenolics, phenylpropanoids, fatty acids and lipids, and various miscellaneous compounds. The attempt is also being made to enumerate the possible leads, e.g. curcumin, resveratrol, baicalein, boswellic acid, betulinic acid, ursolic acid, and oleanolic acid, for further development with the help of structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies and their current status. In addition SAR studies carried out on the anti-inflammatory activity of flavonoid compounds and clinical studies performed on anti-inflammatory natural products are also discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev, 29, No. 5, 767–820, 2009

Recent developments in anti-inflammatory natural products.

Anti-inflammatory cyclohexenyl chalcone derivatives in Boesenbergia pandurata.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of a hexane extract of the rhizomes of Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb. (Zingiberaceae) led to the isolation of three non-phenolic diarylheptanoids, identified mainly by high-field 1H-NMR as trans-trans-1,7-diphenyl-1,3-heptadien-4-one (alnustone), trans-1,7-diphenyl-1-hepten-5-ol, and trans,trans-1,7-diphenyl-1,3-heptadien-5-ol. The latter is reported for the first time as a plant constituent. Germacrone, curzerenone, and cinnamaldehyde were also isolated and identified. The three diarylheptanoids all exerted significant anti-inflammatory activity in the assay of carrageenin-induced hind paw edema in rats.

Three non-phenolic diarylheptanoids with anti-inflammatory activity from Curcuma xanthorrhiza.

Topical antiinflammatory activity of the major lipophilic constituents of the rhizome of Zingiber cassumunar. Part I: The essential oil.

Non-phenolic linear diarylheptanoids from Curcuma xanthorrhiza: a noveltype of topical anti-inflammatory agents: structure-activity relationship.

P. Claeson

Papers

Anti-inflammatory cyclohexenyl chalcone derivatives in Boesenbergia pandurata.

Three non-phenolic diarylheptanoids with anti-inflammatory activity from Curcuma xanthorrhiza.

Topical antiinflammatory activity of the major lipophilic constituents of the rhizome of Zingiber cassumunar. Part I: The essential oil.

Non-phenolic linear diarylheptanoids from Curcuma xanthorrhiza: a novel type of topical anti-inflammatory agents: structure - activity relationship

Topical antiinflammatory activity of the major lipophilic constituents of the rhizome of Zingiber cassumunar. Part II: Hexane extractives