Anti-Arthritic Effects and Toxicity of the Essential Oils of Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.)

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Issue Date
2010-01-27Author
Funk, Janet L.
Frye, Jennifer B.
Oyarzo, Janice N.
Zhang, Huaping
Timmermann, Barbara N.
Publisher
American Chemical Society
Type
Article
Article Version
Scholarly/refereed, author accepted manuscript
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AbstractTurmeric (Curcuma longa L., Zingiberaceae) rhizomes contain two classes of secondary metabolites, curcuminoids and the less well-studied essential oils. Having previously identified potent anti-arthritic effects of the curcuminoids in turmeric extracts in an animal model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), studies were undertaken to determine whether the turmeric essential oils (TEO) were also joint protective using the same experimental model. Crude or refined TEO extracts dramatically inhibited joint swelling (90-100% inhibition) in female rats with streptococcal cell wall (SCW)-induced arthritis when extracts were administered via intraperitoneal injection to maximize uniform delivery. However, this anti-arthritic effect was accompanied by significant morbidity and mortality. Oral administration of a 20-fold higher dose TEO was non-toxic, but only mildly joint-protective (20% inhibition). These results do not support the isolated use of TEO for arthritis treatment, but, instead, identify potential safety concerns in vertebrates exposed to TEO.
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This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see http://doi.org/10.1021/jf9027206.
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Citation
Funk, J. L., Frye, J. B., Oyarzo, J. N., Zhang, H., & Timmermann, B. N. (2010). Anti-Arthritic Effects and Toxicity of the Essential Oils of Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 58(2), 842–849. http://doi.org/10.1021/jf9027206
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