may ppl laugh but ove the past 3-4 yrs of trial and error, i find this the single most healthful brightening product.. when whipped together with retin-a & a pinch of niacinamide, and applied generously head to toe after a hot shower!
Here are many other benefits:
Curcuminoids are polyphenolic pigments found in the spice turmeric. Turmeric is widely consumed in the countries of origin for a variety of uses, including use as a dietary spice, as a dietary pigment and as an Indian folk medicine for the treatment of various illnesses. It is also used in Hindu religious ceremonies in one form or another as part of the religious rites. Curcuminoids are responsible for the yellow color of turmeric, as well as the yellow color of curry. Curcuminoids are derived from turmeric by extraction with ethanol. Curcumin is the most studied of the curcuminoids. Curcumin and the other curcuminoids have been found to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and have been entered into Phase I clinical trials for cancer chemoprevention by the National Cancer Institute. ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY ACTIONS Curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin have antioxidant activity. They may also have anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and hypocholesterolemic activities. MECHANISM OF ACTION The curcuminoids have been found to have a number of antioxidant activities, including scavenging of such reactive oxygen species as superoxide anions and hydrogen peroxide, inhibition of lipid peroxidation and inhibition of the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The reduced derivative of curcumin, tetrahydrocurcumin, has been found to have even stronger antioxidant activity. Tetrahydrocurcumin may be formed from curcumin following ingestion; however, this is unclear. The possible anticarcinogenic activity of curcumin and the other curcuminoids may be accounted for by a few mechanisms. These include inhibition of angiogenesis, upregulation of apoptosis, interference with certain signal transduction pathways that are critical for cell growth and proliferation, inhibition of colonic mucosa cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) activities and inhibition of farnesyl protein transferase. In addition to its possible activity in preventing malignant transformation and inhibiting tumor growth, curcumin may have antimetastatic potential, as well. In this regard, curcumin has been found to inhibit matrix metalloproteinase-9 in a human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. The possible anticarcinogenic activity of the curcuminoids may be attributed, at least in part, to their ability to inhibit activation of the transcription factors NF-KappaB and AP-1. Curcuminoids have also been found to target the fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) angiogenic signaling pathway and inhibit expression of gelatinase B in the angiogenic process. In the final analysis, the curcuminoids' antioxidant activity may underlie many of the above mechanisms. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can activate AP-1 and NF-KappaB. Further, FGF-2 induces AP-1 activation via ROS produced through NADPH oxidase. The curcuminoids, acting as antioxidants, may interfere with the ability of FGF-2 to stimulate AP-1, and they may generally inhibit the activation of NF-KappaB and AP-1. The possible anti-inflammatory activity of the curcuminoids may also be accounted for by several mechanisms, including inhibition of COX and LOX, reduction of the release of ROS by stimulated neutrophils, inhibition of AP-1 and NF-KappaB, and inhibition of the activation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF (tumor necrosis factor) -alpha and IL (interleukin)-1 beta. Curcumin has modest anti HIV-1 activity. It has been found to inhibit HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteases, HIV-1 LTR (long terminal repeat)-directed gene expression, Tat-mediated transactivation of HIV-1-LTR and HIV-1 integrase. All of these actions have been demonstrated in vitro. There is no evidence that curcumin or the other curcuminoids significantly inhibit the replication of HIV-1 in vivo. The mechanism of the possible hypocholesterolemic effect of the curcuminoids is unclear. PHARMACOKINETICS The pharmacokinetics of the curcuminoids remain incompletely understood. Of the curcuminoids, curcumin has been most studied, mainly in animals. Curcumin is poorly absorbed following ingestion in mice and rats. In these animals, 38 to 75% of an ingested dose is excreted directly in the feces. Absorption appears to be better with food. In mice, the major metabolites of curcumin are curcumin glucuronoside, dihydrocurcumin glucuronoside, tetrahydrocurcumin glucuronoside and tetrahydrocurcumin. These metabolites are formed in the liver. Animal studies and the pharmacokinetics of curcumin are continuing. Human pharmacokinetic studies are needed. INDICATIONS AND USAGE The curcuminoids may have anticarcinogenic, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-inflammatory (including anti-arthritic), antiviral, antifungal and immune-modulating effects. They appear to help detoxify some drugs and other chemicals. There is some evidence the curcuminoids may help prevent cataracts and ameliorate chronic anterior uveitis. They may also help speed wound healing. Claims that the curcuminoids may be helpful in gall bladder disease are poorly supported. Credible clinical trials related to the curcuminoids in general are lacking. RESEARCH SUMMARY The curcuminoids have exhibited significant anticarcinogenic effects in numerous in vitro and animal studies. They have inhibited progression of chemically induced colon and skin cancers through, it has been suggested, their ability to inhibit angiogenesis, among other possible mechanisms. In some of these studies, curcumin has reduced both the size and number of tumors as well as the incidence of tumorigenesis. Curcumin appears to have significant inhibitory effects in both the promotional and progression stages of colon cancer. In in vitro studies, curcumin has induced apoptosis in human leukemia cells, a variety of B lymphoma cells and others. It has been used topically in vitro and in some animal work to inhibit some skin cancers. Turmeric, the activity of which may be due to constituents in addition to, or other than, the curcuminoids, has been used in various parts of the world to treat everything from abdominal bloating and flatulence to gonorrhea and hepatitis. Evidence in support of these uses is largely anecdotal. The German commission E, however, has approved turmeric for the treatment of liver and gall bladder disorders and for appetite loss. Turmeric, administered in 1-gram doses daily for nine months, reportedly conferred significant protection against palatal cancer in a study of subjects at risk of this malignancy owing to reverse smoking. Significant regression of precancerous lesions was noted. Curcumin has also been reported to diminish the toxic effects of a number of cancer drugs and other chemicals, including cisplatin, doxorubicin, carbon tetrachloride, paraquat and ethanol. This work has been conducted using animals. Marked neuroprotective, hepatoprotective and pulmonary-protective effects have been seen. In one recent study, curcumin significantly reduced the total amount of chromosomal damage in nontumor cells of rats given cisplatin. This effect was attributed to curcumin's free radical-scavenging activity. Similarly, curcumin was recently shown to significantly prevent the nephrotoxicity of doxorubicin in rats. The anti-inflammatory properties of the curcuminoids have been demonstrated in a number of in vitro and in some animal studies. These substances are widely used in India and Indonesia for various inflammatory conditions. In vitro, curcumin inhibits the production of such pro-inflammatory cytokines as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and interleukin-8, among other anti-inflammatory actions. Some preliminary evidence that one or more constituents of turmeric may be helpful in some forms of arthritis has emerged from a few animal studies and some human work. Curcumin itself was administered to rheumatoid arthritis patients (400 milligrams of curcumin three times a day for a total daily dose of 1,200 milligrams) for two weeks in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study. Significant subjective improvement was reported in terms of morning stiffness, walking time and joint swelling. No significant improvement was observed, however, in any objective measurement. Some have suggested that curcuminoids might be helpful in osteoarthritis, but there is no supporting evidence. Claims that the curcuminoids may have anti-atherosclerotic effects are supported by some preliminary animal studies. Curcumin has shown some antithrombotic, anti-platelet aggregating activity in some in vitro and animal studies. It has also inhibited vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in vitro. A turmeric extract was recently shown to significantly inhibit LDL-cholesterol oxidation in rabbits with experimental atherosclerosis. The curcuminoids have demonstrated antiviral, anti-fungal and immunomodulating effects, mostly in vitro. Some of the curcuminoids and turmeric extracts have exhibited some in vitro anti-fungal activity, specifically against Candida albicans, Candida kruseii and Candida parapsilosis. Finally, curcumin has recently enhanced cutaneous wound-healing in diabetic mice. Previous studies showed that curcumin could enhance cutaneous wound-healing in rats and guinea pigs. Both oral and topical curcumin were effective in the diabetic mice. Earlier re-epithelialization and improved neovascularization were among the healing processes observed in curcumin-treated animals. The researchers concluded that curcumin might be of benefit in helping to overcome diabetic-impaired healing processes.
