Cytokine Research Laboratory,, Department of Experimental Therapeutics,, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Mol Nutr Food Res. 2013 Sep;57(9):1510-28. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201100741. Epub 2012 Aug 13.
Although much has been published about curcumin, which is obtained from turmeric, comparatively little is known about turmeric itself. Turmeric, a golden spice obtained from the rhizome of the plant Curcuma longa, has been used to give color and taste to food preparations since ancient times. Traditionally, this spice has been used in Ayurveda and folk medicine for the treatment of such ailments as gynecological problems, gastric problems, hepatic disorders, infectious diseases, and blood disorders. Modern science has provided the scientific basis for the use of turmeric against such disorders. Various chemical constituents have been isolated from this spice, including polyphenols, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenoids, sterols, and alkaloids. Curcumin, which constitutes 2-5% of turmeric, is perhaps the most-studied component. Although some of the activities of turmeric can be mimicked by curcumin, other activities are curcumin-independent. Cell-based studies have demonstrated the potential of turmeric as an antimicrobial, insecticidal, larvicidal, antimutagenic, radioprotector, and anticancer agent. Numerous animal studies have shown the potential of this spice against proinflammatory diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, depression, diabetes, obesity, and atherosclerosis. At the molecular level, this spice has been shown to modulate numerous cell-signaling pathways. In clinical trials, turmeric has shown efficacy against numerous human ailments including lupus nephritis, cancer, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, acne, and fibrosis. Thus, a spice originally common in the kitchen is now exhibiting activities in the clinic. In this review, we discuss the chemical constituents of turmeric, its biological activities, its molecular targets, and its potential in the clinic.
尽管姜黄（从姜黄属植物中提取的一种黄色香料）的相关研究已经很多，但人们对姜黄本身却知之甚少。姜黄是一种金色香料，从姜黄植物的根茎中提取，自古以来一直用于为食物增添颜色和味道。传统上，这种香料在阿育吠陀和民间医学中用于治疗妇科问题、胃部问题、肝脏疾病、传染病和血液疾病等疾病。现代科学为姜黄治疗这些疾病提供了科学依据。从这种香料中分离出了各种化学成分，包括多酚、倍半萜、二萜、三萜、甾醇和生物碱。姜黄素是姜黄的主要成分之一，约占 2-5%，或许是研究最多的成分。虽然姜黄的一些活性可以被姜黄素模拟，但其他活性与姜黄素无关。基于细胞的研究表明，姜黄具有抗菌、杀虫、杀幼虫、抗突变、辐射防护和抗癌作用。许多动物研究表明，这种香料具有预防炎症性疾病、癌症、神经退行性疾病、抑郁症、糖尿病、肥胖症和动脉粥样硬化的潜力。在分子水平上，这种香料已被证明能调节许多细胞信号通路。在临床试验中，姜黄已被证明对多种人类疾病有效，包括狼疮性肾炎、癌症、糖尿病、肠易激综合征、痤疮和纤维化。因此，一种原本在厨房中常见的香料现在在临床上也显示出了活性。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了姜黄的化学成分、生物活性、分子靶点及其在临床上的潜力。
