Human Digestive System
An important part of the human body involved in providing energy for the survival and daily activities of humans is the digestive system.
The major passageway of the human digestive system involves liquid and solid food particles to be traveled through it and utilized as energy for body activities as well as the waste materials released as feces out of the body. This passageway is termed the GI tract.
The proper digestion of food while passing through this tract is very crucial for the survival of a living being.
It consists of different body parts involving many organs that play specific roles during the process.
If there is a problem in any of the parts of this tract, it can lead to serious disorders.
So, the proper functioning of this passageway is very crucial for the well-being of an individual and performing his daily activities [1].
Digestive System Problems in Humans
Many disorders are linked to the human digestive system that results from the dysfunction of any of the parts of the GI tract.
Some of the important digestive system disorders are as follows:
Inflammation
Inflammation can result in any part of the GI tract. Different inflammatory disorders have been reported based on the part of tract inflammation that has occurred. The inflammation of the colon is termed colitis and similar specific terms are used for other parts of inflammation.
Appendicitis
The appendix is a part of the human digestive tract and if it gets inflamed, the condition is termed appendicitis. It is a fatal condition and is usually treated by surgery in which the complete part is removed from the body. If this condition is not treated properly, it proves to be very dangerous for the person who is suffering from it [2].
GIT Cancer
If abnormal growth of cells occurs in any part of this passageway, it can lead to GI tract cancer. Many different types of cancers have been reported for the human digestive system depending on the part of the tract where cancer cells grow. Such as mouth cancer, stomach cancer, etc.
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
The inflammation of the bowel walls of this passageway leads to these disorders. They are usually autoimmune disorders and need proper treatment.
Similarly, many other disorders have also been reported that disturb the digestion process through this passageway and make life difficult. So, these disorders should be treated frequently and properly.
Risk Factors of Digestive Problems
Research has shown the association of different risk factors with digestive system disorders. exposure to any of these factors increases the risk of getting the disease in humans. Some of these factors are:
An inactive lifestyle that involves no exercise increases the risk of getting GIT disorders.
Eating food that has very low amounts of fiber.
Changes in daily routine can also increase the risk for GIT disorders.
Taking a lot of caffeine.
Laying down immediately after eating.
Some medications and pregnancy can also increase the risk for these disorders [4].
Symptoms of Digestive Problems
Major symptoms that are associated with almost all types of GI tract disorders include:
Abdominal pain
Vomiting
Constipation
Diarrhea
Blood in stool
These symptoms can be cured by using different medications that are available on the market as well as by using some herbal treatments. But a person should make sure that the remedy he is using is approved scientifically.
Available Treatments for Digestive System Disorders
Different treatments are available in the market for curing digestive system disorders.
Some of these treatments are as follows.
Avoid the use of caffeine.
Use some medications available in the market.
Eat foods that are rich in fiber.
Take more and more exercise and avoid an inactive lifestyle.
Use some herbal treatments.
Herbal treatments are the most preferable treatment for GIT infections, as they have the least side effects [6].
If conditions become too severe, surgery is also performed in such cases.
Make sure the remedy you are using is scientifically proven for that disorder.
An important herbal component that has the potential to treat problems associated with the digestive system is curcumin. It has been proven scientifically to play roles in multiple ways and alleviate digestive symptoms. These processes are discussed later in this article.
Curcumin
Curcumin is an organic compound found in the spice turmeric, which is often used in Indian cuisine.
The polyphenolic component, which gives the spice its distinctive color and has been associated with many health benefits, is to blame.
Curcumin is a member of the curcuminoid family of chemicals, which possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Numerous biological benefits have been identified, including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and neuroprotective properties.
Among the many molecular targets, it may interact with within the body are enzymes, transcription factors, and cell signaling molecules [7].
Due to its adaptability and ability to have a variety of biological effects, curcumin is a very alluring pharmaceutical prospect. The second is the favorable health effects of curcumin. Among the conditions that curcumin may treat include inflammation, brain function, and heart health.
Diabetes, cancer, and heart disease are just a few of the chronic diseases that are significantly impacted by chronic inflammation.
Curcumin has been shown to have neuroprotective properties that may help slow down or prevent cognitive decline. It has been shown that BDNF, a protein crucial for the growth and survival of neurons, may be produced more abundantly.
Curcumin reduces inflammation throughout the body by blocking the activity of many pro-inflammatory chemicals.
Given that low levels of BDNF have been linked to a variety of neurological conditions, such as depression and Alzheimer's disease, this discovery is very significant.
Studies have demonstrated that curcumin has several positive effects on heart health.
A particularly promising natural substance that may provide numerous health advantages is curcumin. Due to its distinctive chemical structure, it can interact with a variety of biological targets and possibly have a wide range of advantageous effects [8].
Role of Curcumin in Treating Digestive System Problems
A lot of research has been performed on curcumin and it has been found that it has a significant role in treating the disorders that are associated with digestion.
All these studies have shown that this crucial compound, curcumin, has always had positive outcomes in alleviating the symptoms of digestive problems.
It has been found that curcumin works by multiple processes and cures the problems of the digestive system as it has different crucial properties that can make it significant in treating such disorders and it can be a promising therapy for these [9].
Some of the major processes that have been studied through the research on curcumin in the treatment of digestive problems are as follows:
Anti-inflammatory Compound
Studies have shown that curcumin has a crucial role in reducing inflammation in any part of the body and its effectiveness in this regard is proven through multiple human trials. It can also reduce the inflammation in the digestive tract that may be caused by some problems such as colitis disorder or some other digestive problems and even infection. So, this curcumin can help in treating such disorders by reducing inflammation in the digestive tract.
Protection of the Lining of the Digestive System
It has also been found that curcumin can play an important role in protecting the lining of the digestive tract from any damage. As the lining of the tract is damaged many of the disorders and severe symptoms are resulting in patients. So, curcumin can have significant results in curing such impairments.
Stimulation of Bile Production
Research has also shown that curcumin can enhance the production of bile in the digestive tract. This helps in the proper absorption of food particles in the tract and also helps in preventing several impairments due to improper digestion such as constipation and diarrhea. Moreover, it can also be given to patients having such symptoms resulting from different digestive problems. Curcumin is found to always have significant results [10].
Curing the Infection
Another important property of this crucial compound is that it has anti-microbial activity as well. As we know, H. pylori infections are very common in the digestive tract. Similarly, many other bacterial infections are also reported that can lead to severe symptoms in patients. Curcumin is very crucial in treating such infections as it can kill the bacteria and can help in treating such infections and reducing symptoms [11].
So, based on this data we can conclude that curcumin can be a promising therapy in treating problems of the digestive system by acting through any of the above-mentioned processes and will show significant results.
Preclinical and Clinical Trials Data
The properties of curcumin in treating disorders linked to the digestive system in humans have been proven through multiple experimental studies.
Different experiments have been performed on animal models to study the role of this crucial compound and the different processes by which it can act on the digestive tract and improve its function. Moreover, experimental studies have also been performed on human patients with different types of digestive problems to check the safety and efficacy of curcumin in humans for digestive problems.
Preclinical studies performed on rats as animal models with digestive problems showed that when these animals were treated with curcumin for a specific time period, curcumin cured all the symptoms of disorders as this crucial compound has anti-inflammatory as well as anti-microbial properties. So, it can not only reduce the inflammation in the digestive tract caused by some disorders, but it can also help treat different infections and alleviate symptoms [12].
Similarly, studies were also performed on human patients with different types of digestive problems, and the safety and effectiveness of curcumin were confirmed.
A study was done on 43 patients having severe abdominal pain caused by intestinal bowel syndrome. These patients were randomly given a placebo and curcumin. The patients treated with curcumin were given 500 mg of this compound every day. And this treatment continued for two months. After that, the results were compared in patients who were given a placebo with those treated with curcumin. It was observed that curcumin showed significant outcomes as abdominal pain was completely treated in these patients and icing on the cake, no side effects were observed.
10 more clinical trial studies were performed on a different number of patients with IBD, and all these studies confirmed that curcumin is a safer and more effective therapeutic modality in treating such disorders. It not only cures diseases but also has no side effects in humans as observed in many other medications.
Another study was performed on patients having Ulcerative Colitis and the effectiveness of curcumin in treating this disorder was observed. This study consisted of 89 human patients with UC disorder. And they were randomly given a placebo as well as curcumin. The dose of curcumin was 1 g every day. The treatment continued for 6 months, and significant results were seen. The patients given curcumin had not only alleviation of all symptoms but also, the chance of recurrence of the disorder was totally reduced in such patients [13].
So, from these studies we can conclude that curcumin has positive outcomes in treating all kinds of digestive system problems and it is a promising therapy in this regard.
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