The application of curcumin and turmeric, due to their anti-inflammatory effects, can alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life in people with irritable bowel syndrome.
The research was conducted by conducting a systematic review of all available evidence regarding the therapeutic potential of curcumin and turmeric for relief from irritable bowel syndrome symptoms. Database searches were undertaken across various reputable sources, namely Web of Science, Pub-Med, Scopus, Ovid, Embase, and Google Scholar. The terms used for this search included 'curcumin', 'turmeric', and 'IBS'. The timeline for these studies spanned from 1990 to February 2021. The focus was particularly placed on clinical trials, from which nine relevant articles were gathered for data analysis.
The results from the gathered literature showed that curcumin and turmeric, used alone or combined with other medications, could positively impact the severity of irritable bowel syndrome. This was particularly apparent with symptoms such as abdominal pain, leading to an overall improvement in life quality for people dealing with irritable bowel syndrome. This improvement is attributed to the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin and turmeric.