Curcuminoid

A curcuminoid is a linear diarylheptanoid, a relatively small class of plant secondary metabolites that includes curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin, all isolated from turmeric (Curcuma longa). Curcumin is obtained from the root of turmeric. These compounds are natural phenols and give a pronounced yellow color that is often used to color foods and medicines. Curcuminoids dissolve in dimethyl sulfoxide, acetone and ethanol but are poorly soluble in lipids, although their solubility in water-based mixtures can be raised with surfactants or co-surfactants. The most common derivatives carry different substituents on the phenyl groups. Demand is growing for demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin and the other curcuminoids because of their biological activity. The Medicine Atlas records them as a plant-derived substance class that names no single therapeutic area, and this entry is not medical advice.