Sources, morphology, phytochemistry, pharmacology of Curcumae Longae Rhizoma, Curcumae Radix, and Curcumae Rhizoma: a review of the literature

Abstract

Curcumae Longae Rhizoma (turmeric), Curcumae Radix and Curcumae Rhizoma are derived from the Curcuma species, and have gradually become three of the most commonly used medicinal herbs in China due to their different origins, processing methods and medicinal part. These three herbs have certain similarities in morphology, chemical composition, and pharmacological effects. All three of these herbs contain curcuminoids and volatile oil compounds, which exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties, although modern clinical applications have their own requirements. At present, there is no systematic guidelines for the clinical application of these three of Curcuma species; consequently, there is a high risk of unwanted phenomena associated with the mixing and indiscriminate use of these herbs. In this review, we focus predominantly on morphology, chemical composition, and the pharmacological activity of these three Curcuma herbs and summarize the current status of research in this field. Our goal is to provide a better understanding of clinical value of these Curcuma species so that we can provide reference guidelines for their further development, utilization and rational clinical application.

Research Progress on Sesquiterpenoids of Curcumae Rhizoma and Their Pharmacological Effects

“…Ezhu, a traditional Chinese medicine, comes from the genus Curcuma in the family Zingiberaceae. There are approximately 80 species of the genus Curcuma worldwide, mainly produced in Southeast Asia and from southeastern to southwestern regions in China [7]. Curcuma phaeocaulis, Curcuma kwangsiensis, Curcuma longa, Curcuma zanthorrhiza, Curcuma wenyujin, Curcuma aeruginosa, Curcuma zedoaria, and Curcuma caesia all belong to this genus [22].…”

“…Curcuma phaeocaulis, Curcuma kwangsiensis, Curcuma longa, Curcuma zanthorrhiza, Curcuma wenyujin, Curcuma aeruginosa, Curcuma zedoaria, and Curcuma caesia all belong to this genus [22]. The rhizomes are usually the main commercial sources of Curcumae Rhizoma, Curcumae Longae Rhizoma, or Wenyujin Rhizoma Concisum, while the tuberous roots are the main source of Curcumae Radix [7]. However, complicated relationships exist between these herbs, and there is confusion with respect to their application due to the similarity of their efficacy, the intersection of and variation in plant sources, and the overlap of herb and plant names.…”

“…It is an important traditional Chinese medicine commonly used in clinical practice for treating dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, irregular menstruation, stasis in the pelvis, tumors of the abdomen and epigastrium, arrhythmia, coronary heart disease, stroke, dyspepsia, and gastritis [6]. In the modern world, Curcumae Rhizoma attracts great interest because of its various pharmacological effects on gynecological-related, cancer-related, immune system-related, cardiovascular system-related, and hepatoprotective activities, which mainly overlap with its traditional applications [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. The major bioactive compounds of Curcumae Rhizoma are sesquiterpenoids and curcuminoids [15].…”

“…However, there are fewer reviews on the sesquiterpenoids and their bioactivities in Ezhu. Some reviews primarily focus on a specific activity, including its effects on cancer, hepatobiliary disease, and infectious diseases [9,10,[19][20][21], while others concentrate on the differences between several herbs derived from the genus Curcuma (Curcumae Longae Rhizoma, Curcumae Radix, and Curcumae Rhizoma) [6,7]. Accordingly, in this article, we review the sesquiterpenoids derived from the dried rhizomes of C. phaeocaulis, C. kwangsiensis, and C. wenyujin, three sources of Curcumae Rhizoma, and emphasize the structural variances among sesquiterpenoids sourced from diverse botanical origins.…”

Turmeric: from spice to cure. A review of the anti-cancer, radioprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of turmeric sourced compounds

“…The potential of DMC as a novel photosensitizer in PDT for cancer treatment was substantiated by its ability to reverse cell viability, reduce LC3 conversion, and inhibit PARP cleavage, all of which were attenuated by pre-treatment with a singlet oxygen scavenger or JNK inhibitor in the context of DMC-PDT. Notably, DMC-PDT displayed superior efficacy compared to DMC alone in curtailing cell viability in breast cancer cell lines, suggesting its promising role as a potential photosensitizer in cancer therapy ( 25 , 26 ).…”