Defensive potential and deleterious impact of turmeric (Curcuma longa) L rhizome powder supplemented diet on antioxidant status of indomethacin-induced ulcerated wistar rats.

Effects of various concentration of turmeric (Curcuma longa [C longa]) rhizome powder (TRP) supplemented diet on the antioxidant status of selected organs (stomach, liver, kidney, and heart) of indomethacin (Indo)-induced ulcerated wistar rats were investigated in this study. The rats were fed with different percentages of TRP supplemented diet (1% [A], 2% [B], 5% [C], and 10% [D]) for 28 days. It was observed from the results that animals fed on 10% turmeric rhizome supplemented and those in the ulcerogenic group had significant reduction in kidney, cardiac gluthione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and gastric GSH when compared with normal control animals and other pre-treated groups. However, a significant increase was observed in gastric, hepatic, cardiac, and glutathione peroxidase (GPX); kidney and hepatic SOD; cardiac, kidney, hepatic, and gastric CAT of animals pre- treated with TRP supplemented diet (1%-5%) compared with ulcerogenic group. Also, a significant reduction was observed in GPX of animals fed with 10% TRP supplemented diet in comparison with ulcerogenic group. Consumption of TRP in the diet, therefore, should be lesser than 10% of the whole recipe for it to be potent in enhancing antioxidant defensive mechanism of the aforementioned organs and thereby prevent oxidative stress related diseases. It may reduce antioxidant present in those organs which can lead to increase availability of free radical and expose the organs to oxidative stress-related diseases. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Inclusion of turmeric rhizome powder in daily diet has been globally well accepted due to the knowledge of its medicinal values. Nonetheless, the extent at which it should be consumed has been controversial and unclear. Little or no effort has been put in place to educate the populace on the quantity of concentration of C. longa powder which should be in whole recipe or ingredients. Therefore, if turmeric rhizome powder should be included in diet because of its nutritional and medicinal values, this should be with caution and from the results of this study, the concentration should not be up to 100g/kg w/w of the entire recipe.