The turmeric medicinal uses are many. It was one of the staple medicines used in the ancient Ayurvedic practice, which is still alive and well in India and other parts of the world. Its traditional use has been evaluated by modern scientists. They have found that the ancient uses were correct, but they have also learned that there is more to this compound than meets the eye.

Ayurvedic practitioners were some of the first to use surgery and they had a good understanding of the workings of the human body, but they were, of course limited by what they could see. There investigations were held back somewhat during a reign that forbid them from performing surgery. But, until that time, they were able to perform autopsies and they understood the functions of many of the organs of the body.

They did not understand that the cause of many diseases were microscopic bacteria or viruses. They knew nothing of free radicals or amyloids. We are still limited, to a certain extent, by what we can see. There are things that are smaller than molecules, atoms and DNA strands. We are still unsure about the roles that those things play.

We are sure that there are many turmeric medicinal uses. It can help relieve many digestive disorders including common problems like gassiness and bloating, as well as more serious conditions, such as colitis and inflammatory bowel disease.

In the liver, it may help shrink inflamed ducts and rid the organ of toxins that build up there. In the heart, it may prevent blockage of the arteries and reduce levels of LDL or bad cholesterol. In the brain, it may prevent the buildup of amyloids, the plaques that cause Alzheimer's.

Many of these turmeric medicinal uses are still being studied, but one of the largest fields of study is in the area of cancer treatment and prevention. The active component of turmeric, called curcumin, kills cancer cells, without being toxic to healthy cells that surround it.

This is exciting news, but in order for curcumin to perform this magic, it must be able to enter the bloodstream and researchers have shown that only small amount of curcumin are absorbed when turmeric is eaten. So, what does one do, if they want the benefits of curcumin, without visiting the doctor every day for injections? There is no doctor that I know of that provides daily injections, but an enteric coating and the inclusion of piperine increases the absorption of curcumin supplements.

As time goes by, we may learn about other turmeric medicinal uses. We now know that taking some plant extracts reduces the risk of degenerative eye diseases, like glaucoma. We also know that others reduce the risk of heart disease, by reducing plaque buildup and increasing the longevity of heart cells. Resveratrol is one example of a plant compound that allows heart cells to live longer.

The bottom line is that there is no single supplement that is any more effective than another. Your best bet is to take a multi-ingredient supplement. Now, that you know a little more about the turmeric medicinal uses, you might want to learn about some other extracts. It's worth your while.