Does Curcumin from Turmeric Heal Ulcerative Colitis?

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Previous literature suggests that curcumin is useful for maintaining remission in ulcerative colitis (type of inflammatory bowel disease). What about treating the patients who have active disease?

Curcumin is the biologically active component of the yellow curry spice, turmeric (Curcuma longa). It is a popular not just in the kitchen as an herbal spice but also has been used in religious ceremonies in different cultures for thousands of years.

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Drs. Lang and colleagues investigated the efficacy of curcumin for treatment of active mild-moderate ulcerative colitis. The findings were published in the Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2015.

 

Design of curcumin-UC study

• Multicenter, randomized double blind, placebo controlled  trial
• Subjects included those not responding to usual treatment with mesalamine and then also lack of response to additional 2 weeks of maximum doses of mesalamine.
• Subjects received 3g/day of curcumin or a placebo in identical capsules for 1 month in addition to continuing mesalamine.

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Results of curcumin-UC study

54% patients in curcumin group went into clinical remission as compared to zero in placebo group.

Clinical response as measured by more than 3 points decrease in SCCAI was seen in 65% of curcumin group and in only 13% of the placebo group

38% of curcumin patients were healed as evident on  endoscopy (gi scope) as compared to zero in placebo group.

 

Conclusions of curcumin-UC study

The investigators concluded that combination of curcumin and usual mesalamine is superior to mesalamine alone for treatment of to moderate UC.

 

In an accompanying editorial titled, “Spicing up the treatment of mild to moderate ulcerative colitis”, Dr. Bernstein from the University of Manitoba vents out frustrations about treating such patients and asks the question, Can complementary and alternative medicine therapies fill the void in UC management?”.  He then goes on to give a qualified yes indicating need for larger trials for further confirmation of these findings.

 

Dr. Minocha’s comments

This study further substantiates the results from previous trials of biological efficacy of curcumin/turmeric in ulcerative colitis. The differences between the curcumin and the placebo group in this study are staggering. Curcumin offers a credible option for use in such UC patients before embarking on the road towards the more toxic steroids or immune-modulatory/biologic agents.

 

To be sure, the study only looked at patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis patients. Obviously, we don't know if it would help in severe cases. Should you use it in case of severe ulcerative colitis when nothing is working? You decide!

 

Let us not forget that studies using curcumin/turmeric for various diseases have shown a remarkably good safety profile.

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