RESEARCH - Curcumin and autoimmune disease

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Adv Exp Med Biol. 2007;595:425-51.

Curcumin and autoimmune disease.

Bright JJ.

Neuroscience Research Laboratory, Methodist Research Institute,

Clarian Health, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.

The immune system has evolved to protect the host from microbial

infection; nevertheless, a breakdown in the immune system often

results in infection, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. Multiple

sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel

disease, myocarditis, thyroiditis, uveitis, systemic lupus

erythromatosis, and myasthenia gravis are organ-specific autoimmune

diseases that afflict more than 5% of the population worldwide.

Although the etiology is not known and a cure is still wanting, the

use of herbal and dietary supplements is on the rise in patients with

autoimmune diseases, mainly because they are effective, inexpensive,

and relatively safe. Curcumin is a polyphenolic compound isolated from

the rhizome of the plant Curcuma longa that has traditionally been

used for pain and wound-healing. Recent studies have shown that

curcumin ameliorates multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis,

psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease in human or animal models.

Curcumin inhibits these autoimmune diseases by regulating inflammatory

cytokines such as IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma and

associated JAK-STAT, AP-1, and NF-kappaB signaling pathways in immune

cells. Although the beneficial effects of nutraceuticals are

traditionally achieved through dietary consumption at low levels for

long periods of time, the use of purified active compounds such as

curcumin at higher doses for therapeutic purposes needs extreme

caution. A precise understanding of effective dose, safe regiment, and

mechanism of action is required for the use of curcumin in the

treatment of human autoimmune diseases.

PMID: 17569223

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17569223

Not an MD