|
|
|
 |
     |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Curcumin Topical Cream - 4 oz
Turmeric (Curcuma longa, a member of the ginger family) is a plant that, when ground to a yellowish powder, becomes the main ingredient of curry powder, the well-known South Asian spice. The most important chemical present in turmeric is Curcumin. This natural product, a polyphenolic molecule, has numerous biological and pharmacological properties. Chief among these are anticancer, antiinflammatory, antioxidant and antiamyloid effects. While the health benefits of turmeric have been known for thousands of years going back to its origins in ancient India, research into the medical uses of curcumin as the active principle has been relatively recent, spanning only a few decades. In a 2005 Wall Street Journal article entitled, "Common Indian Spice Stirs Hope", medical research into the health benefits of curcumin was described as "exploding". According to the National Institutes of Health, curcumin is currently being tested in almost a dozen human clinical trials as a single therapeutic agent or in combination with other agents for the treatment of conditions such as pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, adenocarcinoma, precancerous gastrointestinal polyps, myelodysplastic syndromes, Alzheimer's disease and psoriasis. Clinical trials of curcumin for cancers of the digestive tract no doubt were inspired by epidemiological data that show a decreased incidence of colorectal cancer in ethnic groups that regularly ingest curry as part of their normal diet. Cancer prevention and therapy are the major focus of studies of the medical uses of curcumin. The cancer chemoprevention effects of topical curcumin application are well documented. Curcumin inhibits chemical carcinogen-induced tumor initiation as well as tumor promotion, which can be induced by such agents as the phorbol esters, plant-derived chemicals known for their tumor promoting capabilities. Thus, such studies have one plant-derived natural product (curcumin) being used to counteract the adverse effects of a second natural product (phorbol). Based on in vitro and in vivo findings, curcumin is now being tested in human clinical trials as a cancer chemopreventative agent. This is being done in addition to its use in clinical studies as a treatment for the precancerous conditions noted above. Curcumin has also been tested in vitro and in vivo as a cancer chemotherapeutic agent, either by itself or in combination with other anticancer agents. It is effective against such cancers as melanoma and various carcinomas. It is believed that an important mechanism by which curcumin inhibits or kills cancer cells involves the modulation of various intracellular signal transduction pathways. Among the current human clinical studies employing curcumin as a cancer chemotherapeutic agent are trials of curcumin as a single agent or in combination with gemcitabine for treating pancreatic and colorectal cancers. One of the more recent findings with respect to curcumin's anticancer properties is that it can selectively induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells without harming normal cells. Another recently reported anticancer property of curcumin is its ability to inhibit NF-kappaB (NF-kB), a transcription factor that can be overexpressed in many cancer cells, according to Dr. Dennis Liotta of Davidson College. Of particular interest is the ability of curcumin to inhibit cancer cell metastasis. Experiments conducted by Dr Bharat Aggarwal and colleagues from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston utilized a mouse model of cancer metastasis. Groups of mice were treated either with the anticancer paclitaxel (Taxol®), curcumin, or a combination of paclitaxel and curcumin. After several weeks, it was found that the mice treated with curcumin and the combination therapy had reductions in lung metastases of about 50% and 75%, respectively, in comparison to an untreated control group. In contrast, the paclitaxel-treated mouse group had only a 30% reduction in metastases. As with other antioxidants, curcumin may have utility in treating Autism Spectrum Disorder, as patients may have increased sensitivity to, or decreased protection from, damage caused by chemical free radicals or UV radiation (oxidative stress). According to Dr. Woody R. McGinnis, the use of antioxidants in these patients may markedly reduce autistic behavior. Curcumin may also have potential in combating Alzheimer's disease. It has been found both in vitro and in vivo that curcumin can inhibit the production and accumulation of beta-amyloid, a protein that has been associated with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Curcumin's antiinflammatory properties may also play a role in its potential utility as an Alzheimer's preventative or therapy. In fact, researchers using a genetically altered mouse model of Alzheimer's disease noted that not only can curcumin inhibit beta-amyloid accumulation in the brain, it can also promote the reduction of amyloid plaques that are characteristic of the disease. Certain enzymes involved in the inflammatory response can be inhibited by curcumin. Owing to its antiinflammatory properties, curcumin in topical form has been used as a psoriasis treatment. Additionally, curcumin topically applied to mouse skin has inhibited chemically induced inflammation. Curcumin has also been investigated in several studies as a topical wound-healing agent. The wound healing benefits of curcumin may be related both to its antioxidant effects (reduction of oxidative stress) as well as to its antiinflammatory properties. The antiinfective properties of curcumin are also of interest, particularly the use of curcumin in the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. For example, curcumin was reported to be active as an inhibitor of the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent in gonorrhea. Ingredients: Deionized Water, Medium Chain Triglycerides, Shea Butter, Curcumin (Curcuma Longa) Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Lecithin, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum 2 or 4 ounces For external use only. Store in a cool place, out of direct sunlight.
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home | Books & Tapes | Nutrition Notebook | Our Privacy Policy | Contacts Springboard products which are foods and/or foods for
special dietary use, are not offered for the Copyright © 1998-2007 Springboard All rights reserved.
WebSite Designed and Managed by
|
