Evaluation of the biological activities of Curcuma longa and development of a Curcuma-based food supplement

Abstract

Curcuma longa is a plant in the Zingiberaceae family, widely used as a spice, food preservative, and in traditional medicine. Turmeric extract was prepared from dried and ground rhizomes of turmeric using an ethanol solution, including the extraction of curcumin and essential oils. The objective of this study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anticoagulant activities of Curcuma longa extracts, renowned for their medicinal properties due to polyphenolic compounds. This research involves the extraction of bioactive compounds from Curcuma longa, followed by phytochemical analysis and evaluation of their pharmacological properties. Phytochemical screening revealed significant amounts of polyphenols and flavonoids in the extracts (121±3.68 mg GAE/g and 8.56 mg/QEg respectively). The anti - inflammatory activity was assessed using various in vivo models, including xylene-induced ear edema, croton oil-induced ear edema, and carrageenan-induced paw inflammation in mice. The results demonstrated a substantial reduction in inflammation with 79.42 ± 2.95% of inhibition in xylene test and 71.28 ± 5.47% in croton oil test, indicating potent anti-inflammatory effects of the extracts. The antioxidant activity shows varying degrees of effectiveness in inhibition of DPPH with an IC50 value of 16.74 μg/mL. The anticoagulant activity was determined using human blood samples, where the extracts exhibited significant prolongation of coagulation time, confirming their anticoagulant potential. These findings suggest that Curcuma longa extracts possess notable anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant activities, which could be beneficial in treating related conditions. In vivo studies in diabetic mice models showed significant reductions in blood glucose levels (74.94% at dose of 250 μg/mL), improved insulin sensitivity, and better glucose metabolism. This comprehensive investigation supports the traditional use of Curcuma longa in medicine, highlighting its potential as a multifunctional therapeutic agent with significant anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, and antidiabetic properties.