The compound found in Indian curry spice may help treat painful tendinitis, according to a study in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Researchers from the University of Nottingham (England) together with colleagues from the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich have observed that curcumin, present in the curry ingredient – turmeric, inhibits the processes that fuel inflammation in the tendons.
Turmeric is responsible for the intense yellow color of the popular Indian spice and has been used for centuries in traditional Indian medicine (so-called Ayurvedic), e.g. in the treatment of intestinal problems or liver diseases.
Many studies in recent years confirm the protective effect of curcumin against the liver. There are also reports on the possibilities of its use in the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the joints, and even in the treatment of cancer patients.
Our research does not suggest that curry, turmeric or curcumin are a cure for inflammatory diseases of the tendons or joints, emphasizes the co-author of the latest work, Dr. Ali Mobasheri.
However, the researcher hopes that future work on curcumin or its modified version will result in alternative drugs that can reduce the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They are in the same class as ibuprofen or aspirin and are currently the primary treatment option for patients with tendinitis and certain arthritic diseases.
Tendons are highly durable bands of fibrous connective tissue that connect the muscles to the bones. They enable us to move because they transfer the force of the contractions of the muscle fibers to the skeletal bone elements.
Unfortunately, tendons are susceptible to injury and damage, especially in athletes who exert themselves physically and put excessive strain on their joints, and in manual workers who make repetitive movements.
Tendinitis presents with severe pain, especially when moving, and tenderness at the site of inflammation. It most commonly affects the shoulder, elbow, knee, hip, Achilles tendon (aka the calcaneus tendon) or the wrists.
Currently, the only treatment for this condition is to relieve pain and inflammation with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). When the pain persists, injections of steroid drugs are used directly into the sore area. The treatment is complemented by physical therapy.
However, NSAIDs and steroids have different side effects, such as the formation of gastric and duodenal ulcers, nausea and vomiting, heartburn with NSAIDs, and weight gain, metabolic disorders, digestive problems, fatigue, and sleep disturbances with steroid medications. Therefore, scientists are constantly looking for new therapies with fewer side effects.
Research by English and German scientists suggests that curcumin or its derivatives may be an alternative to NSAIDs in the future.
By conducting experiments on cultures of human tendon-building cells, researchers observed that curcumin inhibits the development of inflammation by blocking a protein complex called nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB). It is stimulated by compounds secreted by immune cells (so-called cytokines) and is responsible for the activation of genes that play a role in the development of the inflammatory process.
Previous research by an English-German team, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry in January 2011, shows that, by the same token, a component of red wine, resveratrol, may prevent bone loss in people at risk of or suffering from osteoporosis.
In experiments, resveratrol prevented NF-kappaB activation and inflammation in the bones. As a result, it inhibited the formation of bone-eating cells called osteoclasts, which in a way eat up the bone tissue. Normally, this process is a necessary step in bone regeneration, but in old age it begins to take precedence over the restoration of bone tissue by cells called osteoblasts. This is how osteoporosis develops.
According to scientists, this means that resveratrol affects the balance between the processes of bone destruction and formation, and may in the future be used in the treatment of patients with osteoporosis (PAP).