Timeless Turmeric - An Ancient Herb Meets New Technology
by Gene Cleveland

The powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties of curcumin derived from turmeric are being studied world wide. The volatile oils in the turmeric extract have been proven to reduce both acute and chronic inflammation. Extracts of turmeric have also been proven to have powerful antioxidant qualities, rivaling those of vitamins C and E and have been proven to have a positive effect on cholesterol. Perhaps the most exciting new development in the research of turmeric and its benefits are the results of one of the latest studies, which demonstrated how curcumin blocked the development of laboratory strains of melanoma and other cancers.

In Ayurveda, the Indian system of medicine, it is known as “haldi” and is used extensively to treat ailments ranging from small cuts to digestive and heart conditions. In wedding ceremonies there, it is applied to the bride and groom to beautify them as well as to repel bad spirits. In Indonesia, it is called “kunyit,” and is an indispensable component of jamu, the system of medicine there, given to women after childbirth. “Jiang huang” (literally “yellow ginger”) has been used in Chinese medicine for inflammatory conditions since the Tang Dynasty, while the daily consumption of “ucchin” has become popular among the Japanese who wish to aid their livers as the Western diet and customs become more common there.

Whatever its translation in your part of the world, turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) produces nearly as many benefits as it has names. That it is used as a food-coloring agent, a natural dye, and a spice is well known, especially to the more adventurous among us who have explored the foods and lands of foreign cultures. But studies performed in Western labs have brought turmeric into the spotlight, proving the perennial shrub to have an almost unheard of amount of concurring health benefits.

The volatile oils in the turmeric extract have been proven to reduce both acute and chronic inflammation. This anti-inflammatory quality may well be its global claim to fame as it results in being useful to those in many cultures suffering from major health conditions, such as heart disease, arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, in a study at the University of California, curcumin, a major constituent of turmeric, was proven to reduce inflammation related to Alzheimer’s disease in the neurological tissue of laboratory rats. This may explain why so few of the people of India, who consume the spice at almost every meal, suffer from this condition late in life.

Extracts of turmeric have also been proven to have powerful antioxidant qualities, rivaling those of vitamins C and E and have been proven to have a positive effect on cholesterol by inhibiting its uptake in the intestines and increasing its conversion to bile acids in the liver. It has also been lauded for its antimicrobial nature, proven in laboratory studies to inhibit the growth of a variety of bacteria and other pathogens when applied both internally and topically.

Perhaps the most exciting new development in the research of turmeric and its benefits are the results of one of the latest studies, conducted at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston which demonstrated how curcumin blocked the development of laboratory strains of melanoma and other cancers. “The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties of curcumin derived from turmeric are undergoing intense research here and at other places worldwide,” says Bharat B. Aggarwal, Ph.D., professor of cancer medicine in the Department of Experimental Therapeutics and one of the study’s authors. “The incidence of the top four cancers in the U.S.—colon, breast, prostate, and lung—is ten times lower in India.”

With a list of credits like this, it becomes quickly apparent that turmeric is the most versatile and hardest-working herb around. As a result of the wealth of positive information regarding it, several companies have begun to offer extracts of turmeric, many times under the name of curcumin itself. In fact, a general search for turmeric on the internet returns dozens of products, each claiming to provide the purest extract of curcumin at the lowest price and, ultimately, confusing consumers to the point of picking the first one on the list or abandoning the whole venture of ingesting the beneficial herb altogether.

Turmericforce, produced by New Chapter, stands apart from other turmeric extracts due to both the high quality of its ingredients and the accuracy of its composition, which closely mimics that of the original herb.

Paul Schulick, CEO of New Chapter and author of the best-selling book Ginger: Common Spice & Wonder Drug, had been interested in the benefits of consuming turmeric for decades. But his interest peaked about five years ago, when he became aware of a study on its ability to counter the toxicity of cigarette smoke.

As a result of his growing interest in turmeric, Schulick and New Chapter introduced it to Luna Nueva, their biodynamic farm located in the volcanic mountains of Costa Rica, where it is now grown alongside the already existing ginger crops - a natural coupling as the two have traditionally been used together in both the Chinese and Japanese cultures.

“I’ve been unfaithful to ginger,” he jokes in a recent interview. “But I became influenced by the potential that this herb has for all the diseases of aging of our culture—diabetes, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatory arthritis...these are all diseases of aging.”

But maintaining high standards of growing the herb is only one step towards achieving the exceptional quality of Turmericforce. More important is the ability to extract the beneficial constituents of the herb, without destroying or altering them in the process, maintaining their potency and delivering the full spectrum of turmeric’s components. This is where Turmericforce leaves the others behind.

Supercritical Extraction—Quality Over Quantity

When sorting through the many so-called turmeric and curcumin extract products on the market, it is not uncommon to find more than a few which proudly boast “95 percent curcumin.” This is not necessarily a false claim. But what you’re not being told is that, in order to extract such a high level of curcumin, many companies use unhealthy chemical solvents. Although this process is less expensive and results in a higher yield, the quality of that yield is damaged by heat, oxygen and solvent stress. In addition to this dumbing down of the extract, an amount of 95 percent curcumin does not accurately represent the original ratio of the constituents in turmeric, thereby producing an extract which can be biologically unstable. Finally, the chemical solvents used—such as acetone, a common ingredient in nail polish remover and hexane, a component commonly used in dry cleaning fluid—leave behind residues. Basically, the consumer of such products would be taking an anti-carcinogenic herb extract laced with carcinogens. How’s that for driving with the brakes on?

Extracting the fat soluble (or lipophilic) components of any plant is not an easy process for the simple fact that fat will not allow itself to be dissolved by water. Most producers of turmeric extract take the easy way out in the use of chemical solvents to dissolve the once-potent oils.

But New Chapter, refusing to sacrifice this quality and potency, employs a patent-pending “dual extraction” process to produce Turmericforce.

The first and most important part of this process is “supercritical” extraction, a technique which safely extracts the lipophilic constituents, which are the most delicate, volatile and arguably the most beneficial. While the chemical solvent method damages these substances, supercritical extraction is able to circumvent their resistance to liquid extraction by compressing carbon dioxide gas to the point where it has the density of a liquid but still remains gaseous. In this state, it is able to penetrate the herb and extract the delicate constituents while leaving their character and potency intact.

In the second step, the residue containing the remaining water-soluble (hydrophilic) constituents is extracted with water and alcohol. When this is complete, Turmericforce is reconstituted to closely match the ratio present in the original plant. In this way, the final product delivers not only the barely altered potency of turmeric, but maintains its intelligence and character, qualities which are a top priority for New Chapter.

Tumerones Increase the Bioavailability of Curcumin

One ingredient you’ll see on the Turmericforce label, and most likely not on those of other turmeric extracts, is “45 percent tumerones.” According to Flavex, New Chapter’s supercritical extraction partners located in Germany, more than 50 percent of the oil extracted via supercritical extraction is composed of tumerones, one of the most beneficial of turmeric’s lipophlic substances.

This claim is missing on the very products which boast high levels of curcumin. This is because, in their attempt to isolate a single curcuminoid, using an unhealthy solvent in the process, tumerones, as well as other beneficial oils, are destroyed. This results in any level of curcumin becoming less effective than it could be, as tumerones, curcumin and the other constituents all must be present, in the correct ratios and potency, to express the full spectrum of the herb and deliver its medicinal power.

“We believe very strongly that the sole focus on curcumin is a huge mistake because there’s a lot of biological activity in the tumerones, which are in the lipophilic section,” says Schulick. “There is evidence dating back as much as 40 years ago which suggests that the oils of turmeric combined with the water-soluble constituents of turmeric make the curcuminoids far more bioavailable.”

With so many benefits rendered by turmeric, and especially in a culture where its regular consumption is low, it behooves even those already in good health to experience its long-term benefits. In doing so, choose a product like Turmericforce, which, rather than providing nothing but an empty high yield, delivers the true colors of the herb in the most potent form available today.

For more product information on Turmericforce, click here.

References
Apisariyakul, A., et al. “Antifungal activity of turmeric oil extracted from Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae).” J Ethnopharmacol, 1995;49:163-169.
Lim, G.P., et al. “The curry spice curcumin reduces oxidative damage and amyloid pathology in an Alzheimer transgenic mouse.” J Neurosci, 20011;21(21):8370-7.
MD Anderson Cancer Center. “Potent spice works to block growth of melanoma in lab test.” http://www.mdanderson.org/departments/newsroom/display.cfm?id=f3ec0200-90b3-4112-ac139bd8699d6101&method=displayfull&pn=00c8a30f-c468-11d4-80fb00508b603a14. Accessed Aug 3, 2005.
Mukhopadhyay, A., et al. “Anti-inflammatory and irritant activities of curcumin analogues in rats.” Agents Actions, 1982;12:508-515.
Ramprasad, C. & Sirsi, M. “Curcuma longa and bile secretion. Quantitative changes in the bile constituents induced by sodium curcuminate.” J Sci Indust Res, 1957;16C:108-110.
Toda, S., et al. “Natural antioxidants. “Antioxidative compounds isolated from rhizome of Curcuma longa L.” Chem Pharmacol Bull, 1985;33:1725-1728.
Note: Statements in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. This information is for informational and educational purposes only. It should not be used in place of an individual consultation or examination or replace the advice of your health care professional and should not be relied upon to determine diagnosis or course of treatment.