title: Curcumin and diabetes: a systematic review.
abstract: Turmeric (Curcuma longa), a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, has been used for the treatment of diabetes in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine. The active component of turmeric, curcumin, has caught attention as a potential treatment for diabetes and its complications primarily because it is a relatively safe and inexpensive drug that reduces glycemia and hyperlipidemia in rodent models of diabetes. Here, we review the recent literature on the applications of curcumin for glycemia and diabetes-related liver disorders, adipocyte dysfunction, neuropathy, nephropathy, vascular diseases, pancreatic disorders, and other complications, and we also discuss its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The applications of additional curcuminoid compounds for diabetes prevention and treatment are also included in this paper. Finally, we mention the approaches that are currently being sought to generate a "super curcumin" through improvement of the bioavailability to bring this promising natural product to the forefront of diabetes therapeutics.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Research Center, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Dong-Wei
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Fraser Lab for Diabetes Research, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Canada H3A 1A1.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Research Center, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Si-Hua
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Fraser Lab for Diabetes Research, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Canada H3A 1A1.
authors.forename: Jun-Li
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Liu