curcumin and Pruritus

Uremic pruritus as a symptom that affects hemodialysis (HD) patients can decrease the quality of life and increase morbidity in these patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of turmeric on uremic pruritus in HD patients.. This was a double-blind placebo-controlled trial conducted on 100 HD patients suffering from pruritus. Patients (mean age 53.3 ± 15.8 years) were randomized into two groups: turmeric and placebo. The pruritus score and biochemical determinants including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were compared before and at the end of the study between the two groups.. The mean decrease in hs-CRP was significantly higher in the turmeric than the placebo group (-0.8 ± 2.6 vs. 0.4 ± 8.7 mg/l, p = 0.012). Also reduction of pruritus scores was greater in the turmeric than the placebo group (13.6 ± 2.6 vs. 7.2 ± 2.6, p = 0.001). No side effect was observed during the study due to the use of turmeric.. This study demonstrates the possible efficacy of turmeric in decreasing hs-CRP and uremic pruritus in end stage renal disease patients. Future studies are needed to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of turmeric.

Topics: Adult; Aged; C-Reactive Protein; Curcuma; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Kidney Failure, Chronic; Male; Middle Aged; Phytotherapy; Plant Preparations; Pruritus; Renal Dialysis; Rhizome; Severity of Illness Index; Uremia

Skin is among the first and most heavily damaged organs upon sulphur mustard (SM) exposure. Pruritus is the most common chronic skin complication of SM, which adversely affects the quality of life (QoL). However, current therapies for the management of SM-induced pruritus are very limited and associated with side effects. The present trial investigated the efficacy of curcumin in the alleviation of SM-induced chronic pruritic symptoms. A total of ninety-six male Iranian veterans (age 37-59 years) were randomised to receive either curcumin (1 g/d, n 46) or placebo (n 50) for 4 weeks. Serum concentrations of substance P and activities of antioxidant enzymes were measured at baseline and at the end of the trial. Assessment of pruritus severity was performed using the pruritus score, visual analogue scale (VAS) and scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) index. QoL was evaluated using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire. Serum concentrations of substance P (P<0·001) as well as activities of superoxide dismutase (P=0·02), glutathione peroxidase (P=0·006) and catalase (P<0·001) were significantly reduced in the curcumin group, while no significant change was observed in the placebo group. Curcumin supplementation was also associated with significant reductions in measures of pruritus severity including the pruritus score (P<0·001), VAS score (P<0·001), overall (P<0·001) and objective SCORAD (P=0·009), and DLQI's first question (P<0·001). None of these measures was significantly changed in the placebo group. As for the QoL, although DLQI scores decreased in both groups (P<0·001 and P=0·003 in the curcumin and placebo groups, respectively), the magnitude of reduction was significantly greater in the curcumin group (P<0·001). In conclusion, curcumin may be regarded as a natural, safe, widely available and inexpensive treatment for the management of SM-induced chronic pruritus.

Topics: Adult; Antioxidants; Antipruritics; Chemical Warfare Agents; Chronic Disease; Curcumin; Dietary Supplements; Double-Blind Method; Humans; Iran; Irritants; Male; Middle Aged; Mustard Gas; Oxidoreductases; Pruritus; Quality of Life; Severity of Illness Index; Substance P; Surveys and Questionnaires; Veterans

Chronic cutaneous complications such as pruritus are among the very frequent complaints of sulphur mustard (SM)-exposed patients. The present trial investigated the impact of curcumin on serum inflammatory biomarkers and their association with pruritus severity and quality of life (QoL).. This was a randomized, double-blind trial among 96 male Iranian veterans (age 37-59 y) who were suffering from chronic SM-induced pruritic skin lesions. Patients were randomly assigned to curcumin (1 g/d, n = 46) or placebo (n = 50) for four weeks. Serum concentrations of interleukins 6 (IL-6) and 8 (IL-8) together with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were measured at baseline and at the end of the trial. Assessment of pruritus severity was performed using the pruritus score and QoL using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI).. Serum IL-8 and hs-CRP were significantly reduced in both groups but the magnitude of reduction was greater in the curcumin group (P < 0.001). Serum CGRP was only decreased in the curcumin group (P < 0.001). No significant change was observed in serum IL-6. There were significant correlations between CGRP and IL-6 changes (P = 0.011) and between DLQI and IL-8 changes (P = 0.026) in the curcumin group. In the curcumin group, changes in serum IL-8 concentrations were found as the significant predictor of DLQI scores (P = 0.026) but none of the independent variables could predict pruritus scores.. Curcumin supplementation effectively mitigates inflammation in patients suffering from chronic SM-induced cutaneous complications. This anti-inflammatory effect might account for the observed pruritus alleviation and QoL improvement by this phytochemical.

Topics: Adult; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Curcumin; Double-Blind Method; Humans; Interleukin-6; Male; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Mustard Gas; Pruritus; Quality of Life; Receptors, Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; Severity of Illness Index; Treatment Outcome

Curcumin is a diketone compound extracted from the rhizomes of some plants in the Zingiberaceae and Araceae family. It possesses a variety of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. However, the cellular and molecular antipruritic mechanisms of curcumin remain to be explored.. Our objective was to study the role of curcumin in pruritus and determine whether its antipruritic effect is related to MrgprB2 receptor.. Overall, these results indicated that curcumin has the potential to treat pruritus induced by mast cell MrgprB2 receptor.

Topics: Animals; Antipruritics; Calcium; Cell Degranulation; Curcumin; Mast Cells; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Molecular Docking Simulation; Pruritus; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled

To understand anti-allergic effect of Curcuma aromatica (family Zingerberaceae), which inhibited passive cutenous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction in preliminary study, we isolated its main constituents, curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin, and investigated their inhibitory effects against PCA reaction and scratching behavior. These curcuminoids inhibited the PCA reaction induced by the IgE-antigen complex (IAC) and the scratching behavior induced by compound 48/80. These curcuminoids also inhibited degranulation, protein expression of TNF-alpha and IL-4, and transcription factor NF-kappaB activation in IAC-induced RBL-2H3 cells. Of these curcuminoids, curcumin exhibited the most potent inhibition, followed by demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. These findings suggest that curcuminoids, particularly curcumin, can improve the symptoms of allergic diseases, such as anaphylaxis and itching.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Allergic Agents; Behavior, Animal; Curcuma; Curcumin; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Immunoglobulin E; Inflammation Mediators; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred ICR; p-Methoxy-N-methylphenethylamine; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis; Plant Roots; Pruritus

An ethanol extract of turmeric ("Curcuma longa") as well as an ointment of curcumin (its active ingredient) were found to produce remarkable symptomatic relief in patients with external cancerous lesions. Reduction in smell were noted in 90% of the cases and reduction in itching in almost all cases. Dry lesions were observed in 70% of the cases, and a small number of patients (10%) had a reduction in lesion size and pain. In many patients the effect continued for several months. An adverse reaction was noticed in only one of the 62 patients evaluated.

Topics: Administration, Topical; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Breast Neoplasms; Catechols; Curcuma; Curcumin; Drug Evaluation; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mouth Neoplasms; Odorants; Palliative Care; Plant Extracts; Pruritus; Skin Neoplasms; Skin Ulcer; Vulvar Neoplasms