An amazing South Indian spice with wide reaching health benefits
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-tumor
• Lowers cholesterol
• Fights bacteria

Antioxidant and cancer protection
Curcumin is an extract of the herb turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn) which has wide-ranging health benefits. It is well known to have antioxidant effects, preventing cellular damage, and it reduces the production of inflammatory signals. It is also able to block the growth of abnormal cells, stopping cancer before it begins.

A multi-tasking supplement
Curcumin protects the liver from several toxins and regulates lipid metabolism to decrease cholesterol levels. It protects the gastric mucosa against irritants. It can fight off many unwanted invaders such as the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and various fungal infections, and has even been shown to be a useful ally against HIV.

Curcumin is able to protect the body from damage in a number of ways. AOR's formula takes full advantage of this ancient herb with powerful modern health benefits.

Curcuma Longa is a perennial herb that belongs to the ginger family. The rhizome is extensively used for imparting color and flavor to food including curries. As a powder, called turmeric, it is also used for medicinal and religious ceremonies.

Chemistry
Curcuma longa rhizomes yield about 8% essential oils and 10% fatty oil. The volatile oils are probably responsible for curcumin's antispasmodic activity. Borneol is present in the essential oil fraction and is largely responsible for the digestion-improving properties.

Antioxidant
Numerous studies have shown that the various constituents of curcuma longa possess potent antioxidant properties, and curcumin has been reported to be an effective agent against lipid peroxidation.

Anti-inflammatory
Curcumin has been found to be effective in several animal models of inflammation, and is considered a potential non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent. The mechanism of curcumin's anti-inflammatory action is not yet known, although several cellular mechanisms have been suggested, including affecting steroid release from the adrenal cortex, blocking pro-inflammatory enzymes, and inhibiting the production of pro¬inflammatory mediators. The overexpression of pro-inflammatory mediators contributes to diseases such as Alzheimer's, cerebral ischemia and multiple sclerosis. The ability of curcumin to decrease inflammation presents an approach to slow the progression of these diseases.

Gastro-intestinal effects
Curcumin increases mucin content, thereby protecting the gastric mucosa against irritants. Curcumin also possesses anti-spasmodic properties. Curcumin showed liver protective effects against carbon tetrachloride, D-Galactosamine and peroxide induced cytotoxicity, and increased bile acid production in animals.

Cardiovascular effects
A sharp and transient hypotensive effect of curcumin was reported in dogs. Curcumin also inhibited collagen and adrenaline-induced aggregation of platelets, thereby helping to prevent clot formation.

Lipid metabolism
Animals fed with curcumin and cholesterol had only half to one-third of the serum and liver cholesterol levels compared to the controlled groups receiving cholesterol alone.

Anti-bacterial/Anti-fungal
Curcumin has been shown to inhibit the growth of most organisms including Staphylococcus aureus (which is responsible for a number of diseases including skin infections, pneumonia, and food poisoning), Streptococci (best known for strep throat and flesh eating disease), corynebacterium (responsible for diphtheria), and micrococcus pyogenes. The crude ether and chloroform extracts of curcuma longa showed anti-fungal activity against several parasitic fungi as well as anti-amoebic activity against Entamoeba histolytica.

Anti-viral
Curcumin has been shown to be an effective ally in the treatment against HIV. Curcumin was effective in inhibiting the replication of HIV in both acutely infected and chronically infected cells.

Anti-tumor activity
The anti-tumor activity of various extracts of curcuma longa has been remarked by several researchers. Animal studies have found that curcumin can significantly impede the production of tumours, and inhibits the progression of colon and skin cancers. Curcumin is able to alter gene regulation, and it blocks the formation of new blood vessels that feed tumours. In a clinical trial, supplemental curcumin was found to improve the histology of precancerous lesions in patients with various forms of cancer.