Turmeric Tamarind, fantastic pain relief from the Ancestral

Long years ago, Curcuma domestica, which known as turmeric, often found in the yard. However, today we can not easily find these medicinal plants. The plant is very much beneficial. We can use its rhizome as food supplements and as medicine. We can also use the leaves as a vegetable. Substances contained in the rhizome are proved to have many health benefits.

Rhizomes of Curcuma domestica plants contain many curcuminoid compounds. This compound is an active substance that can be used as herbal medicine. There are three types curcuminoid contained in turmeric, they are curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and besdemethoxycurcumin. Curcumin is a compound that has antioxidant activity that is more powerful than the other two compounds. Meanwhile, besdemethoxycurcumin can inhibit the release of bile acids that make us feel full. This compound neutralizes the effect of curcumin which is able to increase our appetite.

Recently, the researchers looked turmeric to be used as a pain relief. Several studies have shown that curcuminoid in turmeric can reduce pain. Curcuminoid effect as a pain relief is not inferior when compared with the analgesic effects of some synthetic drugs such as peroxicam, an analgesic from the group Non-Steroid Anti-Inflammation Drug (NSAID). Several studies have shown that there was no significant difference between the pain reduction effects of NSAIDs and Curcuma. In fact, curcuminoid have more action points than NSAIDs in reducing pain. If NSAIDs relieve pain by inhibiting cyclooxigenase enzyme, curcuminoid can act more than that. Curcuminoid reduce pain through lipooxigenase and cyclooxigenase inhibition, inhibition of TNF-alpha production, and antioxidant properties which can reduce inflammation.

Analgesic from NSAID group had some terrible side effects. One side effect of NSAIDs is stomach bleeding. The effect is very frightening because it is hidden effects. Most people who consume NSAIDs do not feel the symptoms of stomach bleeding. However, when they examined more deeply, there are some bleeding in their stomach. In addition, NSAIDs also have adverse effects on the liver. This can be seen from the increase in some liver enzymes like ALT and AST after the consumption of NSAIDs.

Unlike the NSAIDs that cause side effects in the stomach and liver. Curcuminoid has a beneficial effect for stomach and liver. This secondary metabolites from Curcuma domestica does not cause stomach bleeding. This active substance is precisely to protect the stomach by inhibiting the growth of bacteria Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium that causes injury to the stomach. Curcuma also proven can protect liver cells from damage.

Long before the existence of studies on Curcuma, our ancestors already use turmeric as a pain relief drugs. Turmeric tamarind is used to reduce pain during menstruation period, which medically termed as dysmenorrhea. Why turmeric is taken together with the tamarind? In addition to creating a more delicious taste, it has the benefit of tamarind. Curcuminoid is a volatile substance. This substance is stable when it is in an acidic environment. The acidic environment generated by the tamarind will stabilize curcuminoid tamarind contained in turmeric. Tamarind also has the anesthetic effect that further increased the benefits of turmeric as a pain relief.