The Curcuma Longa plant has been, and still is, widely used in oriental medicine for its alleged anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant properties. It is also used in the food sector as a dye (with the name of E100) and in the culinary field as a spice: turmeric. From this plant are obtained curcuminoids (curcumin or diferuloylmethane, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin), volatile oils, carbohydrates, proteins and resins. In this thesis I intend to evaluate and discuss the main results obtained from the studies regarding the alleged properties attributed to the curcumin molecule. In particular, after a careful visualization of the inflammatory, antioxidant and antitumor activities, I intend to focus on some inflammatory pathologies (Alzheimer's disease) and on mitochondrial dysfunction (one of the main causes of diabetes), in which the molecule it can be a valid nutraceutical adjuvant to therapies already in use. Finally, I plan to evaluate the ability to interact between the curcuminoid curcumin and the protein responsible for the penetration into the cells of the Sars-CoV-2 virus, responsible for the ongoing global pandemic wave. The main obstacle that seems to block the use of this molecule in therapy is its poor bioavailability due to its reduced ability to dissolve in an aqueous environment. Recently, therefore, efforts are being made to overcome these drawbacks by formulating suitable pharmaceutical forms: nanoformulations. These structures, in turn, are subdivided into multiple other structures according to the material they are made up of, the shape, properties and functions for which they are designed. Once these drawbacks which create difficulties in administration and absorption have been overcome, curcumin is ready to exert its benefits at the level of the organism without arousing particular safety concerns. In fact, a multitude of studies addressed in this paper have shown that there are no dangers in the use, even prolonged, of this natural active ingredient. In conclusion, after having described every particular aspect of this curcuminoid, I hope that in the near future, with the particular precautions of the case, this molecule will not be forgotten, but rather, its nutraceutical use will be encouraged as an adjuvant in the therapeutic field of therapies that afflict a large portion of the world's population.
La pianta di Curcuma Longa è stata, ed è ancora, largamente impiegata nella medicina orientale per le sue presunte proprietà antinfiammatorie, antibatteriche e antiossidanti. Viene usata anche in ambito alimentare come colorante (con il nome di E100) e in ambito culinario come spezia: la curcuma. Da questa pianta si ricavano curcuminoidi (curcumina o diferuloilmetano, demetossicurcumina e bis-demetossicurcumina), olii volatili, carboidrati, proteine e resine. In questa tesi mi ripropongo di valutare e discutere i principali risultati avuti dagli studi in merito alle proprietà presunte attribuite alla molecola di curcumina. In particolare, dopo un’attenta analisi delle attività infiammatoria, antiossidante e antitumorale, mi ripropongo di focalizzarmi su alcune patologie quali la malattia di Alzheimer e sulla disfunzione mitocondriale (una tra le cause principali del diabete), in cui la molecola può essere un valido coadiuvante nutraceutico alle terapie già in utilizzo. In ultimo, mi prospetto di valutare la capacità di interazione tra il curcuminoide curcumina e la proteina responsabile della penetrazione nelle cellule del virus Sars-CoV-2, responsabile dell’ondata pandemica mondiale ancora in corso. L’ostacolo principale che sembra bloccare l’utilizzo di questa molecola in terapia è la sua scarsa biodisponibilità dovuta alla sua ridotta capacità di solubilizzazione in ambiente acquoso. Recentemente, perciò, si stanno cercando di ovviare questi inconvenienti tramite la formulazione di forme farmaceutiche adatte: le nanoformulazioni. Questi compositi, a loro volta, si suddividono in molteplici altre strutture a seconda dei materiali che le compongono, della forma, delle proprietà e delle funzioni per cui vengono progettate. Superati questi inconvenienti che creano difficoltà di somministrazione e assorbimento la curcumina è pronta per esplicare i suoi benefici a livello dell’organismo senza destare particolari preoccupazioni di sicurezza. Infatti, una moltitudine di studi affrontati in questo elaborato hanno dimostrato come non vi siano pericoli nell’uso, anche prolungato, di questo principio attivo naturale. In conclusione, dopo aver descritto ogni particolare aspetto di questo curcuminoide, mi auspico che in un futuro prossimo, con le particolari precauzioni del caso, questa molecola non venga dimenticata, ma anzi, venga incitato il suo utilizzo nutraceutico come coadiuvante in ambito terapeutico di terapie che affliggono una grande porzione di popolazione mondiale.
Curcumina come coadiuvante: possibili usi in nutraceutica e forme farmaceutiche ad elevata biodisponibilità
RIGHI, SAMANTHA
2019/2020
Abstract
The Curcuma Longa plant has been, and still is, widely used in oriental medicine for its alleged anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant properties. It is also used in the food sector as a dye (with the name of E100) and in the culinary field as a spice: turmeric. From this plant are obtained curcuminoids (curcumin or diferuloylmethane, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin), volatile oils, carbohydrates, proteins and resins. In this thesis I intend to evaluate and discuss the main results obtained from the studies regarding the alleged properties attributed to the curcumin molecule. In particular, after a careful visualization of the inflammatory, antioxidant and antitumor activities, I intend to focus on some inflammatory pathologies (Alzheimer's disease) and on mitochondrial dysfunction (one of the main causes of diabetes), in which the molecule it can be a valid nutraceutical adjuvant to therapies already in use. Finally, I plan to evaluate the ability to interact between the curcuminoid curcumin and the protein responsible for the penetration into the cells of the Sars-CoV-2 virus, responsible for the ongoing global pandemic wave. The main obstacle that seems to block the use of this molecule in therapy is its poor bioavailability due to its reduced ability to dissolve in an aqueous environment. Recently, therefore, efforts are being made to overcome these drawbacks by formulating suitable pharmaceutical forms: nanoformulations. These structures, in turn, are subdivided into multiple other structures according to the material they are made up of, the shape, properties and functions for which they are designed. Once these drawbacks which create difficulties in administration and absorption have been overcome, curcumin is ready to exert its benefits at the level of the organism without arousing particular safety concerns. In fact, a multitude of studies addressed in this paper have shown that there are no dangers in the use, even prolonged, of this natural active ingredient. In conclusion, after having described every particular aspect of this curcuminoid, I hope that in the near future, with the particular precautions of the case, this molecule will not be forgotten, but rather, its nutraceutical use will be encouraged as an adjuvant in the therapeutic field of therapies that afflict a large portion of the world's population.È consentito all'utente scaricare e condividere i documenti disponibili a testo pieno in UNITESI UNIPV nel rispetto della licenza Creative Commons del tipo CC BY NC ND.
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14239/12373