Curcumoids are a group of polyphenodic phytochemicals found in the spice turmeric (curcumin: Curcuma longa). Curcumoids are antioxidants and this makes them useful in the treatment of mood disorders as free radicals and oxidative stress are implicated as a causative factor in the development of anxiety and depression. Curcumoids are also anti-inflammatory compounds, and as inflammation is also implicated as a causative factor in depression, this may also make them potentially useful. Researchers have therefore investigated the effects of curcumoids in mental health. In one study, researchers administered curcumoids in addition to standard antidepressant therapy using drugs. The curcumoids were given at a dose of 1000 mg with 10 mg of piperine from pepper, as piperine may help the absiorption of curcumoids. The results of the study showed that curcumoids with piperine were effective at decreasing the anxiety and depression in combination with standard drugs, when compared to standard drugs alone.
Curcumoids are polyphenolic antioxidants with anti-inflammatory effects. Curcumoids are found in the spice turmeric (Curcuma longa) a member of the Zingiberaceae family. As both oxidative stress and inflammation are implicated in the development of depression, this suggests that curcumoids may be beneficial in the treatment of mood disorders for there antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Neuroinflammation occurs in the brain in response to injury, infection, disease or stress. Once initiated, anti-inflammatories and antioxidants may be beneficial at reducing the negative effects of this neuroinflammation and restoring mental health.
Other studies also support the contention that curcumoids are beneficial to mental health. For example in a review of the subject, one group of researchers concluded that there was evidence that the spice curcumin was effective at treating depression, and that this effect was most beneficial to middle-aged individuals. One of the possible limitations of the use of curcumoids to treat mental illness is their low absorption rate in the intestines of animals. Coadministration of curcumoids with quercetin or piperine appears to be beneficial at increasing its absorption. Another use for curcumoids in treating depression may be in combination with other known antidepressant spices. For example, a combination of saffron and curcumin was effective at decreasing the depressive symptoms in a group of subjects with major depressive symptoms. There was no dose response in this study, suggesting that lower doses may be as effective as higher doses when this combination of nutrients is used.
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