Researchers say the results mean the spice should be tested for prescription
The spice that gives curry its yellow colour is as good for treating indigestion as conventional drugs, according to a recent study. The findings may justify considering turmeric being used in clinical practice, say scientists.
The study, published online by BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, showed that a natural compound found in the culinary spice may be as effective as omeprazole – a drug used to curb excess stomach acid – for treating indigestion symptoms. Study author Professor Krit Pongpirul, of Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Medicine in Thailand, said: “Turmeric is derived from the root of the Curcuma longa plant.
“It contains a naturally active compound called curcumin thought to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, and has long been used as a medicinal remedy, including for the treatment of indigestion, in South East Asia. But it’s not clear how well it compares with conventional drugs for this indication, largely because there have been no head-to-head studies.”
The research team randomly assigned 206 patients, aged 18 to 70, who suffered with a recurrent upset stomach – known as functional dyspepsia – recruited from hospitals in Thailand to one of three treatment groups for a period of 28 days. The treatments were: turmeric – two large 250mg capsules of curcumin four times a day – and one small dummy capsule; omeprazole – one small 20mg capsule daily and two large dummy capsules four times a day; and turmeric plus omeprazole.
Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) which are used to treat functional dyspepsia, the symptoms of which include feeling excessively full after eating, feeling full up after only a little food, and pain or a burning sensation in the stomach or food pipe.
But long-term use of PPIs has been previously linked to increased risk of broken bones, micronutrient deficiencies, and a heightened risk of infections. Patients in all three groups had similar clinical characteristics and indigestion scores, as assessed by the Severity of Dyspepsia Assessment score (SODA) at the start of the trial.
The participants were reassessed after 28 days and then again after 56 days. SODA scores indicated “significant” reductions in symptom severity by day 28 for pain and other symptoms for those in the combined, curcumin alone, and omeprazole alone groups, respectively.
These improvements were even stronger after 56 days for pain and other symptoms. Prof Pongpirul said SODA also captured satisfaction scores which scarcely changed over time among the curcumin users, which he says might possibly be related to its taste or smell.
He said: “No serious side effects were reported, although liver function tests indicated some level of deterioration among curcumin users carrying excess weight.”
While acknowledging the small size of the study, as well as several other limitations, including the short intervention period and lack of long-term monitoring data, Prof Pongpirul says further larger, long-term studies are merited. He added: “This multicentre randomised controlled trial provides highly reliable evidence for the treatment of functional dyspepsia.
“The new findings from our study may justify considering curcumin in clinical practice.”