T
(1; BIB; COX); Leprosy (f; PH2); Leukemia (1; AKT); Leukoderma (f; DAD); Lymphoma (1;
BIB; COX; FNF); Malaria (f; KAP; PH2); Mania (f; DAD); Morning Sickness (1; MAB); Mucososis
(f; PH2); Mycosis (1; MAB; PH2); Nephrosis (1; AKT; PH2); Obesity (2; MAB; PHR); Ophthalmia
(1; AKT; DAD; PH2); Osteoarthrosis (1; MAB); Ozena (f; KAB); Pain (1; BIB; COX; WHO);
Parasite (f; BIB; DAD; KAP; SUW); Polyp (1; COX; JLH; JNU); Psoriasis (1; FNF; MAB);
Puerperium (f; MAB); Radiation (1; AKT); Restenosis (1; MAB); Rheumatism (1; BIB; COX;
SKY); Rhinosis (1; COX; JLH); Ringworm (f; APA; BIB; KAP; PH2); Scabies (2; BGB); Smallpox
(f; DAD); Sore (f; PH2); Sore Throat (f; PH2); Sprain (1; MAB; SUW); Staphylococcus (1; MPI;
UPW); Stone (1; HHB; MAB); Stroke (f; PH2); Swelling (1; AKT; COX; PH2; WHO); Syphilis
(f; DAD); Trauma (f; AKT); Tumor (1; APA; MAB; PH2; TRA); Ulcer (1; BIB; COX; PED; TRA;
WHO); Uveosis (2; AKT); VD (f; BIB; DAD); Vertigo (f; BIB; DAD); Vomiting (f; PH2); Wart
(f; JLH); Water Retention (f; APA; BIB); Whitlow (f; JLH); Worm (f; KAB; SUW); Wound (1;
APA; BGB; PH2; SUW; WAM); Yeast (1; PED).
Dosages (Turmeric) — 4 g turmeric powder in water 1–2 ×/day (MAB); 3–9 g crude turmeric/day
(WHO); 4.5–9 g rhizome/day as tea (AHP); 0.1 g rhizome up to 20 g/day (HHB); 1.5–3 g rhizome
(KOM); 0.5–1 g rhizome several ×/day between meals, or 1.5–3 g day, often with warm milk
(APA); 1 tsp rhizome/cup warm milk (APA); 0.5–1 g oral rhizome infusion 3 ×/day (WHO); 5–14
ml fluid rhizome extract (1:1) divided in 4–5 doses (MAB); 3–5 g fresh herb (PED); 0.3–0.5 g dry
herb (PED); 0.4 g dry herb:2 ml alcohol/2 ml water (PED); 1.5–3 g crude drug/day (SHT); 400
mg curcumin 3 ×/day (SKY); 1200 mg curcumin (APA); 1 (445 mg) StX capsule 2–3 ×/day (JAD);
300 mg capsules to 3 ×/day (APA).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Turmeric) — Class 2b. Emmenagogue and
uterotonic. Contraindicated in patients with bile duct obstruction, gallstones, hyperacidity, and
stomach ulcers (AHP; AEH). While in moderate doses, turmeric is said to inhibit cancers, lym-
phomas and ulcers, overdoses of curcuminoids may possibly be cytotoxic and ulcerogenic, and
may lead to diminution of red and white corpuscles. Still, Commission E approves 1.5–3 g/day,
not nearly enough to provide 1200 mg curcumin. Commission E also reports contraindications:
biliary obstruction; adverse effects: GI irritation from continued use; consult physicians before
using if a patient has gallstones (BIS; KOM). At 10% of diet, turmeric caused some loss of hair
in rats (MAB). Care should be taken in women who wish to conceive or patients complaining of
alopecia (MAB). Rather frightening what one reads in UPW (2000): Laboratory animals treated
with it are reported to have been rendered entirely infertile. Women who are pregnant, or children
(not yet widely in children) with gallbladder or liver disease or ulcers, should avoid turmeric
(WAM). Limit internal use to 10 days (WAM).
Extracts (Turmeric) — Fond as I am of synergy and food farmacy, I like the following comments:
Curcumin and genistein can inhibit estrogen-positive human breast cells induced by estradiol or
pesticides individually or mixed. Curcumin and genistein were synergistic, totally inhibiting induc-
tion in vitro. Curcuminoids inhibit cancer at initiation, promotion and progression in vitro and in
vivo (MAB). Viva curried bean soup, like I am having for lunch. Reportedly as effective as
hydrocortisone acetate or indomethacin in experimental inflammation (WHO). Both natural anti-
inflammatory curcumin (1200 mg/day) and unnatural phenylbutazone (30 mg/day) improved joint
swelling, morning stiffness, and walking time in people with rheumatoid arthritis, both better than
placebo (WHO). Bruneton notes that the antiinflammatory ED50 of curcumin orally in rats is 48
mg/kg ( = 4.8 g in me) and is apparently devoid of side effects (BRU), while the ipr ED50 is only
2.1 mg/kg, suggesting that the ipr route is 20 times more effective. But I am not into injecting
herbs. Enjoy your curried beans, counting on those synergies. Duke suggests curcumin needs to
be compared with Celebrex and Vioxx as a COX-2 inhibitor. EO showed significant antihistaminic
and antiinflammatory activity, the latter at 0.1 ml/kg, which translates to 10 ml for me, a rather
dangerous dose. At a dose of 1.5 g/day/30 days, turmeric reduced urinary excretion of mutagens