Curcumae longae rhizoma

Rhizome, i.e. underground shoot of Curcuma longa, see also turmeric.

Quality is defined in the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.).

MPC monograph: traditional use: digestive complaints, functional disorders of the biliary system, dyspeptic complaints. Curcuma longa rhizoma and Javanese turmeric (see under turmeric): traditional use for digestive complaints, bloating, slowed digestion and flatulence.
ESCOP monograph: symptomatic treatment of mild digestive complaints, mild hepatobiliary complaints
Commission e-monograph: dyspeptic complaints

Empirical medicine: inflammatory diseases, functional disorders of the gallbladder and bile ducts.

Studies have found an effect comparable to that of ibuprofen on symptoms of knee osteoarthritis (Gupte PA et al. 2019), and initial studies also indicate an improvement in memory, fatigue and resilience (Cox KH et al. 2015), as well as a reduction in beta-amyloid levels in the blood (DiSilvestro RA et al. 2012), in addition to a reduction in cholesterol levels, especially LDL. There are also studies on improving colitis activity, inflammatory parameters and quality of life in ulcerative colitis (Sadeghi N et al. 2020).

The curcuma rootstock contains 3 to 12% essential oil, including sesquiterpenes, xanthorrhizole, and beta-curcumen. The main active ingredient of turmeric is curcumin. Other ingredients are dicinnamoylmethane derivatives, ferulic acid, caffeic acid and caffeic acid derivatives.

Curcumae longae rhizoma has cholekinetic, choleretic, antiphlogistic and spasmolytic effects. It also possesses antitumor, antiviral, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and antihepatotoxic effects.

Due to the analgesic, antiphlogistic effect, studies also show positive effects in rheumatoid arthritis.

Turmeric is traditionally used as a spice and colorant in food.

Medicinally, curcuma rootstock is used for dyspeptic complaints, mild liver-gallular dysfunction, pain and inflammation due to rheumatoid arthritis diarrhoea, skin diseases, amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea and peptic ulcers.

The mean daily dose of the drug is between 1.5 and 3 g. It is used as a galenic preparation for ingestion.

According to HMPC: as a powder: 0.5-1 g, 2-3 x / day as a tea: 0.5-1.0 g in 150 ml boiling water, as a tincture: 0.5-1 ml, 3 x / day, as a dry extract: 90-162 mg, divided into 2-5 single doses a day , see also under EMA:

not for children and adolescents under 18 years

There are no known adverse effects.

In case of an existing obstruction of the bile ducts, it should not be taken. It should only be taken in cases of gallstone disease, such as small gallstones, after consultation with a doctor.

Allergy to one of the substances

There are no known interactions with other drugs.

Monopreparation from C.longa:

^Curcu-Truw® capsules (ED 81mg) 1-0-1 capsule/day

^Longvida® Optimised Curcumin

The curcuma rootstock should not be confused with the Canadian turmeric (Hydrastis canadensis L.).

Curcuma rootstock and the Javanese turmeric are derived from almost related plant species and have almost identical ingredients, properties and areas of application.

1. Schilcher H (ed.) in, Leitfaden Phytotherapie, Urban & Fischer Verlag (2016) Munich, p.103 ff.
2. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-european-union-herbal-monograph-curcuma-longa-l-rhizoma-revision-1_en.pdf
3. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/gelbwurz.php
4. Amalraj A et al (2017) A Novel Highly Bioavailable Curcumin Formulation Improves Symptoms and Diagnostic Indicators in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Two-Dose, Three-Arm, and Parallel-Group Study. J Med Food. 20(10):1022-1030
5. Wenigmann M. (2017) Phytotherapy medicinal drugs, phytopharmaceuticals, application. Urban & Fischer, pp. 96-97 and 111-112.
6. Gupte PA et al. (2019) Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of Capsule Longvida® Optimized Curcumin (solid lipid curcumin particles) in knee osteoarthritis: a pilot clinical study. J Inflamm Res. 5;12:145-152. doi: 10.2147/JIR.S205390. PMID: 31239749; PMCID: PMC6559772.
7. Cox KH et al (2015) Investigation of the effects of solid lipid curcumin on cognition and mood in a healthy older population. J Psychopharmacol. 29(5):642-51. doi: 10.1177/0269881114552744. epub 2014 Oct 2. PMID: 25277322.
8. Sadeghi N et al. (2020) The effect of curcumin supplementation on clinical outcomes and inflammatory markers in patients with ulcerative colitis. Phytother Res. 34(5):1123-1133. doi: 10.1002/ptr.6581. epub 2019 Dec 4. PMID: 31802559.
9. DiSilvestro RA et al (2012) Diverse effects of a low dose supplement of lipidated curcumin in healthy middle aged people. Nutr J. 26;11:79. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-11-79. PMID: 23013352; PMCID: PMC3518252.