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Turmeric and arthritis
I have heard recently that Turmeric is good for arthritis and other painful joint conditions. Is this true and if so, how does it work?
A member of the ginger family, turmeric has many medicinal actions including anti-inflammatory properties, which would alleviate the pain of arthritis.
The key active ingredient in this spice is curcumin which gives turmeric its distinctive yellow colour and has been shown to be an even more potent antioxidant than vitamin E - which is usually prescribed for heart conditions.
Turmeric, which is also an antimicrobial agent, contains between 0.3 and 5.4% curcumin - which is said to work as well as the steroid cortisone in relieving acute cases of inflammation. It works only half as well as the conventional treatments when the condition is chronic but you need to weigh this up against the fact that unlike many of the orthodox treatments, at the recommended safe dosages, (400-600mg, three times a day) it has no toxicity.
Curcumin works in the same way as capsaicin, the active ingredient in chillies, to deplete nerve endings of substance P, a neurotransmitter which carries pain signals in the body. Curcumin also works in the body to stabilise cell membranes and thereby prevent the release of inflammatory agents.
One ancient household remedy for sprains, muscular pain and inflamed joints was to make a poultice or damp paste by mixing turmeric with slaked lime and a little warm water. A piece of gauze is applied to the affected area and this paste is spread over it. The poultice is held in place with a clean, cotton bandage.