Curcuma Longa

        Curcuma longa is an excellent remedy for lowering cholesterol levels in blood .Curcumin, also known as turmeric root, an ancient spice in the ginger family, is gaining attention for its positive impact on a number of diseases, including cholesterol reduction. Scientific evidence has been building since the mid-1980s of curcumin’s potential cholesterol-lowering capabilities.

        For example, animals fed small doses of curcumin had their cholesterol levels drop by one half (50%) over those that did not receive curcumin. Curcumin reduces cholesterol by interfering with intestinal cholesterol uptake, increasing the conversion of cholesterol into bile acids, and increasing the excretion of bile acids, according to the International Journal of Vitamin Nutritional Research (1991, 61:364-69).

        The 1992 Indian Journal of Physiology reported that ten human volunteers taking curcumin showed a 29% increase in beneficial HDL cholesterol in only 7 days. Total cholesterol also fell 11.6% and lipid peroxidation was reduced by 33%.

        In January of 1997, the Journal of Molecular Cell Biochemistry reported curcumin has demonstrated, in vivo, the ability to decrease total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels in serum and to increase the beneficial HDL cholesterol. “Blood cholesterol was lowered significantly by dietary curcumin in these diabetic animals. Significant decrease in blood triglyceride and phospholipids was also brought about by dietary curcumin in diabetic rats.”

        The research has continued and curcumin’s ability to lower blood cholesterol levels was reported in the April 1998 issue of Molecular Cell Biochemistry, and again, later that year, researchers in Biofactors (1998, 8:1-2, 51-57) reported that “curcumin extract may be protective in preventing lipoperoxidation of subcellular membranes.”

        Curcumin also provides an additional benefit by potentially reducing the risk of cardiovascular-related disease as it inhibits platelet aggregation and significantly decreases the level of lipid (LDL) peroxidation. “Observation of curcumin’s mechanism of action shows that it blocks the formation of thromboxane A2, a promoter of platelet aggregation, thereby inhibiting abnormal blood clot formation. Curcumin also increases a prostacyclin, a natural inhibitor of platelet aggregation” (Arzneim. Forsch., 1986, 36:715-17).