It has long been known about carrots that the orange colorants they contain, the carotenoids, are good for the eyes and promote vision. Now the yellow-orange colouring of curcuma is coming into the focus of research: the spicy root should promote eye health.
Not only effective in inflammatory processes
It has long been known in Asia that the yellow plant substance of the curcuma plant has its own special properties: curcuma is a highly prized medicinal plant in Asia. The natural substance is also used in Europe to treat cancer, as an antidepressant, and various inflammatory diseases in complementary medicine. The natural substance, on the other hand, has received little attention with regard to its effect on eye diseases.
Even in high doses of up to 8 grams per day, curcumin remained well tolerated.
Versatile effectiveness, well tolerated
The efficacy of the bioactive yellow plant substance has now been confirmed in a recent review by scientists from the Sapienza University in Rome: Curcumin is a well-tolerated plant ingredient with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
The substance also can provide value with a dose of up to eight gram daily over a period of three months no toxicity.
In contrast to cancer diseases, detoxification and inflammatory processes, curcumin is still used little in complementary medicine for eye diseases.
From the dry eye to glaucoma
Chinese scientists at the Changchung University Hospital documented several studies on the effectiveness of curcumin in recurrent eye diseases – starting with dry eyes, sicca syndrome, conjunctivitis as part of an allergy and inflammation in the anterior segment of the eye.
The same applies to glaucoma, problems in the middle of the retina and various retinal diseases. According to the researchers, curcumin could play an important role in prevention as well as in the accompanying treatment of various eye diseases. As a promising topic for the future, you also saw a topical, i.e. external application of curcumin in the eye, which unfortunately has not yet been investigated.
In long-term studies, curcuma treatment was able to massively reduce the recurrence of inflammations of the eye.
Reduction of the recurrence of diseases
However, interesting results have already been obtained in the accompanying use of curcumin against the recurrence of inflammations of the iris. A group of Italian physicians in Genoa and Ancona administered 600 mg of curcumin twice daily to 122 patients for 18 months.
After one year, the number of recurrent inflammations had decreased from 275 to 36, compared to one year before treatment in the same group of patients. In this case, the reduction in the incidence of the disease was 88%.
Effective all the way to the cellular level?
The scientists attributed the potential for successful use in eye health to the protective effects of nerve and vascular damage. In retinal diseases, its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects are particularly effective.
Last but not least, curcumin should have an effect on the cells and inhibit inflammatory reactions. Thus, curcumin could even be a side-effect-free and cost-effective alternative to cortisone therapies.
The exact mechanisms of action of curcumin are still the subject of further research, but its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory (regulating the immune system) effects have already been proven many times. Curcuma, in any case, is a topic on which we can still look forward to many insights!
