Therapeutic Potentials of <i>Curcuma longa</i> Rhizomes: Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, and Gastroprotective Activities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51412/psnnjp.2025.39Keywords:
Curcuma longa, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, FTIR, DPPH assay, carrageenan-induced paw edema, gastroprotectionAbstract
Background: Inflammation is a natural defense mechanism, but its persistence contributes to chronic diseases such as arthritis, cardiovascular disorders, and cancer. Conventional nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are effective but are limited by gastrointestinal adverse effects. Curcuma longa L. (turmeric) is traditionally valued for its medicinal properties and has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and gastroprotective activities. This study investigated the phytochemical composition, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory potential, and gastroprotective effects of the ethanol extract of Curcuma longa (EECL) rhizomes.
Methods: Rhizomes of Curcuma longa were subjected to Soxhlet extraction using 80% ethanol. Phytochemical screening was conducted qualitatively and quantitatively. Functional groups were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH radical scavenging assay with ascorbic acid as the standard. The antiinflammatory potential was determined in Wistar rats using carrageenan-induced paw edema, while histological evaluation of gastric tissues was performed to assess gastroprotective properties. Statistical analysis was carried out using one-way ANOVAfollowed by Newman–Keuls post hoc test, with significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids (2.33%), terpenoids (2.30%), phenols (1.43%), alkaloids (1.35%), tannins (0.95%), and saponins (0.55%). FTIR analysis identified characteristic peaks corresponding to alkanes, alkenes, aromatic compounds, alcohols, carboxylic acids, and aromatic amines. EECL demonstrated dose-dependent DPPH radical scavenging activity with an IC₅₀ of 212.87 µg/mLcompared to 20.5 µg/mLfor ascorbic acid. Oral administration of EECL (250, 500 and1000 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited paw edema by 47.03–54.67%, whereas indomethacin (10 mg/kg) produced 60.55% inhibition. Histological analysis showed no lesions at 250 and 500 mg/kg EECL, but 1000 mg/kg induced mild gastric inflammation. In contrast, indomethacin caused marked mucosal damage.
Conclusion: The ethanol extract of Curcuma longa rhizomes exhibited significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, with notable gastroprotective effects at moderate doses. These findings provide scientific support for the traditional use of Curcuma longa in inflammatory conditions and suggest its potential as a safer natural alternative to NSAIDs. However, higher doses may compromise gastric safety, highlighting the importance of dose optimization for therapeutic applications
References
1. Medzhitov R. Origin and physiological roles of inflammation. Nature. 2008;454(7203):428–435.
2. Chen L, Deng H, Cui H, Fang J, Zuo Z, Deng J, Li Y, Wang X, Zhao L, Xu X. Inflammatory responses and inflammation-associated diseases in organs. Oncotarget. 2018;9(6):7204–7218.
3. Prasad S, Aggarwal BB. Turmeric, the golden spice: from traditional medicine to modern medicine. In: Benzie IFF, Wachtel-Galor S, eds. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd ed. CRC Press; 2011:263–288.
4. Gupta SC, Sung B, Kim JH, Prasad S, Li S, Aggarwal BB. Multitargeting by turmeric, the golden spice: From kitchen to clinic. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2013;57(9):1510–1528.
5. Amalraj A, Pius A, Gopi S, Gopi S. Biological activities of curcuminoids, other biomolecules from turmeric and their derivatives – A review. J Tradit Complement Med. 2017;7(2):205–233.
6. Jurenka JS. Anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin, a major constituent of Curcuma longa: A review of preclinical and clinical research. Altern Med Rev. 2009;14(2):141–153.
7. Gupta SC, Patchva S, Aggarwal BB. Therapeutic roles of curcumin: lessons learned from clinical trials. AAPS J. 2013;15(1):195–218.
8. Hewlings SJ, Kalman DS. Curcumin: A review of its effects on human health. Foods. 2017;6(10):92.
9. Jannah R, Putri H, Rosandy AR, Meilawati L, Wahyuni D. Analysis of curcumin in Curcuma longa and Curcuma xanthorrhiza using FTIR spectroscopy and chemometrics. J Phys Conf Ser. 2015;694(1):012021.
10. Gonçalves MAS, Silva ALP, Santos KAM, Oliveira MJ, Almeida LS, Melo PS, et al. Physicochemical/photophysical characterization and antioxidant properties of Curcuma longa essential oil. An Acad Bras Cienc. 2019;91(1):e20190105.
11. Rafatullah S, Tariq M, Al-Yahya MA, Mossa JS, Al-Said MS. Evaluation of turmeric (Curcuma longa) for gastric and duodenal antiulcer activity in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 1990;29(1):25–34.
12. Liju VB, Jeena K, Kuttan R. Gastroprotective activity of turmeric (Curcuma longa) in Wistar rats. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol.
2015;26(5):485–490.
13. Ammon HP, Wahl MA. Pharmacology of Curcuma longa. Planta Med. 1991;57(1):1–7.
14. Mahady GB, Pendland SL, Yun GS, Lu ZZ, Stoia A. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) and curcumin inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori, a group 1 carcinogen. Anticancer Res. 2002;22(6C):4179–4181.
15. Hewlings SJ, Kalman DS. Curcumin: A review of its effects on human health. Foods. 2017;6(10):92.
16. Trease GE, Evans WC. Textbook of Pharmacognosy. 15th ed. Saunders Publishers; 2002:229–393.
17. De Silva GO, Abeysundara AT, Aponso MM. Extraction methods, qualitative and quantitative techniques for screening of phytochemicals from plants. Am J Essent Oils Nat Prod. 2017;5(2):29–32.
18. Amarowicz R, Traszynska A, Pegg RG. Antioxidative and radical scavenging effect of phenolics from Vicia sativum. Fitoterapia. 2008; 79(2):121–122.
19. Liu Y, Kim HJ. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and simple algorithm analysis for rapid and non-destructive assessment of developmental cotton fibers. Sensors. 2017;17(7):1469.
20. Bolade OP, Akinsiku AA, Adeyemi AO, Williams AB, Benson NU. Dataset on phytochemical screening, FTIR and GC–MS characterization of Azadirachta indica and Cymbopogon citratus as reducing and stabilizing agents for nanoparticles synthesis. Data Brief. 2018;20:917–926.
21. Zimmerman M. Ethical considerations in relation to animal experimentation. Acta Physiol Scand Suppl. 1985;554:7–13.
22. Morais-Braga MFB, de Almeida FR, de Almeida RN, Filho JSS, Silva GF, da Silva DM, Santos TR. Phytochemical analysis and antimicrobial potential of Curcuma longa rhizomes. J Appl Pharm Sci. 2016;6(3):204–210.
23. Beatrice P. Antioxidant potential of Vernonia lasiopus: role of polyphenols. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2020;20(1):110.
24. Sharma A, Akhtar N, Tyagi A, Singh SP. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of turmeric: An updated review. Front Pharmacol. 2022; 13: 874312. doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.874312.
25. Okolie NP, Emeka AA, Igbokwe IO, Onyema OO, Uwaegbute AC. Antidiabetic properties of saponins: Mechanisms and therapeutic implications. Biomed Pharmacother. 2021;140:111759.
26. Yadav P, Singh H, Sharma R. Terpenoids: Natural bioactives in disease management. Phytomedicine. 2021;91:153689.
27. Sen S, Chakraborty R, De B. Role of antioxidants in health and disease: a review. Asian J Pharm Clin Res. 2013;6(2):16–20.
28. Akinmoladun FO, Ibukun EO, Afor E, Obuotor EM, Farombi EO. In vitro antioxidant evaluation methods. J Med Food. 2010;13(3):453–461.
29. Amal A, et al. DPPH radical scavenging assay as a standard antioxidant method. Food Chem. 2016; 202:467–475.
30. Sultana B, Anwar F, Ashraf M. Phenolic compounds as radical scavengers: Recent advances. Food Chem. 2020; 320:126646.
31. Ahmad S, Hussain MI, Qazi I, Rashid MA. Plant polyphenols and free radical scavenging. Antioxidants. 2023;12(2):235.
32. Bhattacharya A, Ghosh B, Sikdar S, Karmakar S, Biswas NM. Role of cytokines in carrageenaninduced inflammation. Eur J Pharmacol. 2011;667(1–3):229–237.
33. Salehi B, Mishra AP, Nigam M, Sener B, Kilic M, Sharifi-Rad J. Therapeutic potential of turmeric and its bioactive compounds in inflammation. Int J Mol Sci. 2021; 22(15): 8171. doi:10.3390/ijms22158171.
34. Ismail H, Sheikh BY, Al Qare AI, Abdulrahman FA, Al-Hajjaji MA. Anti-inflammatory effect of Boswellia serrata in carrageenan-induced edema. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2016;16(1):309.
35. Kaushik D, Nigam M, Martorell M, Sriti J. Pharmacological activities of curcumin: An updated overview. Nat Prod Commun. 2020;15(4):1–10.
36. Suroowan S, Smith GA, Balick MJ. Gastroprotective effects of medicinal plants: A systematic review. Phytother Res. 2022; 36(5):1918–1934
Downloads
Views | PDF Downloads:
2
/ 0
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
