姜黄如何影响肝炎?

How Does Turmeric Impact Hepatitis?

　

姜黄素是广泛临床研究的焦点，它已多次证明对肝脏有好处。虽然需要进行更多的研究，但仍然没有具体的证据表明这种草药能改变病毒性肝炎的结果。然而，迄今为止收集到的信息绝大多数支持将姜黄素添加到肝脏保健方案中。

姜黄素(Curcuma longa)是香料姜黄的来源，用于印度、亚洲和中东的咖喱和其他辛辣食物。姜黄素赋予了咖喱特有的亮黄色和强烈的味道。姜黄在阿尤佛得角和中国传统医学中享有很高的地位，是这些历史悠久的机构认为能够净化身体、活血化瘀的一种草药。随着现代科学家认识到姜黄的抗炎特性，并发现越来越多的疾病对其有效成分有好处，人们越来越关注姜黄的健康益处。

胆固醇的优势
几项研究报告称，姜黄素能改善胆固醇比率，而胆固醇比率对心脏和肝脏健康有直接的益处:
印度的一项对照试验在印度的Amala癌症研究中心使用500毫克姜黄素进行了七天的试验。研究人员发现，29%的参与者体内有益胆固醇(HDL)含量增加，11.6%的参与者体内总胆固醇含量降低。此外，脂质过氧化，细胞受损的过程，被发现减少了33%。

格拉纳达大学药学院的另一项研究表明姜黄素能有效抑制LDL氧化，降低LDL胆固醇和甘油三酯。
根据最新的研究，姜黄素通过干扰肠道内胆固醇的摄取，增加胆固醇转化为胆汁酸，进而增加胆汁酸的排泄，从而降低胆固醇。

另一项2000年的研究表明，每日口服姜黄素提取物可以显著降低LDL和Apo-B(一种主要的心脏病危险因素)，增加健康受试者的HDL和Apo-a。

当胆固醇比率提高(高密度脂蛋白升高，或低密度脂蛋白、甘油三酯或总胆固醇降低)时，对心脏和肝脏的压力就会减少。对于患有慢性肝炎的人来说，减少肝脏额外的压力对于保证长寿是至关重要的。

免疫系统的盟友
由于强大的免疫系统是一个人战胜任何病毒感染的最大希望——包括肝炎——免疫调节剂一直在寻找。免疫调节是病毒感染医学治疗的一个新兴领域。通过在体内引入一种能增强免疫系统特定区域的物质，免疫调节剂可能会提高抵御病毒感染的能力。虽然制药公司正竞相为不同的肝炎病毒生产最好的免疫调制器，但自然产生的调制器要便宜得多，而且通常没有副作用。

研究人员正在研究姜黄素作为一种可能的免疫刺激物，可以促进免疫系统中不同的细胞:
T细胞
B细胞
巨噬细胞
中性粒细胞
自然杀伤细胞
抗体反应

2007年1月发表在《临床免疫学杂志》(Journal of Clinical Immunology)上的一篇文章指出，姜黄素在免疫系统细胞中显示出免疫调节活性。根据G.C. Jaggetia和B.B. Aggerwal的研究，“姜黄素对关节炎、过敏、哮喘、动脉粥样硬化、心脏病、阿尔茨海默病、糖尿病和癌症的有益作用可能部分归功于它调节免疫系统的能力。”潜在的姜黄素已经被证明是一种免疫调节剂，它是一种合理的，便宜的，所有的自然选择来帮助战胜肝炎。

护肝
即使患有肝病，保护肝脏不受进一步损害也是长寿的最好方法。科学家证实姜黄素是一种抗炎药，可以保护肝脏:
防止急性肝损伤-墨西哥的一项研究发现，用姜黄素治疗的大鼠肝脏免受四氯化碳引起的肝损伤。研究人员得出结论，通过抑制NF-kappaB的激活，从而抑制促炎性细胞因子的产生，姜黄素可以防止急性肝损伤。

预防肝硬化

以色列的一项研究发现，姜黄素可以保护大鼠不受硫代乙酰胺引起的肝硬化的影响。研究人员得出结论，通过抑制肿瘤坏死因子alpha (TNF-alpha)、肝星状细胞激活和collage alpha 1 (I)基因表达，姜黄素显示出合理的延缓肝硬化发展的能力。
有文献表明，这种草药可以减少炎症和减缓肝硬化，姜黄素有能力抑制肝炎的潜在损害。

注意事项
作为咖喱的主要成分，很多人错误地认为大量的姜黄是完全安全的。虽然传统上小剂量服用是安全的，但过量摄入姜黄素可能会刺激胃粘膜。那些被诊断患有胆结石、胆汁阻塞或怀孕的人，只有在合格的医生的指导下才可以开始补充。此外，姜黄素具有血液稀释作用;因此，如果与血液稀释药物联合使用可能是危险的。如果服用香豆素、华法林或阿司匹林等血液稀释剂，姜黄素的补充需要监督。

只要你注意它的警告，并与医生反复检查你的意图，补充姜黄素可以给肝炎患者带来很大的好处。姜黄素可以改善胆固醇含量、作为免疫调节剂的前景以及作为肝脏保护剂的前景，它正在成为肝炎患者理想的草药补充剂。

　

How Does Turmeric Impact Hepatitis?

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Nicole Cutler, L.Ac., MTCM, Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM)®

August 26, 2013

The focus of a wide range of clinical studies, curcumin has repeatedly demonstrated liver benefits. While more research is called for, there remains no concrete evidence that this herb specifically changes the outcome of viral hepatitis. However, the information gathered thus far overwhelmingly supports adding curcumin to a liver health routine.

Curcumin (Curcuma longa) is the source of the spice turmeric, and is used in curries and other spicy dishes from India, Asia and the Middle East. Curcumin is what gives the curry its characteristic bright yellow color and strong taste. Holding respected positions in Ayuverdic Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine, turmeric is an herb that these time-honored institutions consider able to cleanse the body and invigorate congealed blood. An increasing amount of attention is being paid to turmeric’s health benefits, as modern-day scientists recognize its anti-inflammatory properties and find a growing list of illnesses that its active ingredient benefits.

A Cholesterol Advantage
Several studies have reported that curcumin improves cholesterol ratio, which has a direct benefit on heart and liver health:

A controlled trial in India administered 500 mg of curcumin for seven days at Amala Cancer Research Centre in India. Researchers found that 29 percent of participants experienced an increase in good cholesterol (HDL), while 11.6 percent of participants had a reduction of total cholesterol. Additionally, lipid peroxidation, the process by which cells incur damage, was found to be reduced by 33 percent.
Another study by the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Granada reported that curcumin was effective in inhibiting LDL oxidation and lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
According to the latest research, curcumin reduces cholesterol by interfering with intestinal cholesterol uptake, increasing the conversion of cholesterol into bile acids, and subsequently increasing the excretion of those bile acids.
Another 2000 study shows that a daily oral administration of curcumin extract significantly decreases LDL and apo B (a leading heart disease risk factor) and increases the HDL and apo A of healthy subjects.
Whenever cholesterol ratio improves (HDL is raised, or LDL, triglycerides or total cholesterol are lowered), the strain on the heart and liver is reduced. For a person with chronic hepatitis, minimizing any additional strain on the liver is crucial for assuring longevity.

An Immune System Ally
Since a strong immune system is a person’s best hope for defeating infection with any virus – including hepatitis – immune modulators are consistently being sought. Immune modulation is an emerging field in the medical treatment of viral infections. By introducing an agent into the body that boosts specific areas of the immune system, immune modulators likely lead to an increase in ability to fight off viral infections. While pharmaceutical companies are racing to manufacture the best immune modulator for the different hepatitis viruses, naturally occurring modulators are much cheaper and typically free of side effects.

Researchers are examining curcumin as a possible immune stimulator that can boost these different cells of the immune system:

T cells
B cells
Macrophages
Neutrophils
Natural killer cells
Antibody response
As reported in the January 2007 edition of Journal of Clinical Immunology, curcumin demonstrates immune modulation activity in immune system cells. According to researchers G.C. Jaggetia and B.B. Aggerwal, “curcumin’s reported beneficial effects in arthritis, allergy, asthma, atherosclerosis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and cancer might be due in part to its ability to modulate the immune system.” The potential curcumin has demonstrated as an immune modulator renders it a logical, inexpensive, all natural choice for helping defeat hepatitis.

Liver Protector
Even when burdened with liver disease, protecting the liver from acquiring any further damage is the best way to live a long life. Scientists confirmed that curcumin protects the liver by acting as an anti-inflammatory agent:

Protects Against Acute Liver Damage – A Mexican study found that livers of rats treated with curcumin were protected from liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride. Researchers concluded that by inhibiting NF-kappaB activation and thus inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, curcumin protected against acute liver damage.
Protects Against Liver Cirrhosis – An Israeli study found that curcumin protected rats against the development of liver cirrhosis as induced by thioacetamide. Researchers concluded that by inhibiting the expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), hepatic stellate cell activation and collage alpha 1 (I) gene expression, curcumin demonstrated a reasonable ability to slow the development of liver cirrhosis.
With documentation that this herb minimizes inflammation and slows cirrhosis, curcumin has the ability to quell potential damage from hepatitis.

Cautions
As the main ingredient in curry, many mistakenly assume that large quantities of turmeric are completely safe. While traditionally safe at low doses, excessive intake of curcumin may irritate the stomach lining. People who have been diagnosed with gallstones, have a bile obstruction or are pregnant should only commence with supplementation under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Additionally, curcumin has a blood thinning effect; therefore it can be dangerous if combined with blood thinning medications. If taking a blood thinner such as coumadin, warfarin or aspirin, supervision is required for curcumin supplementation.

As long as you heed its cautions and double-check your intent with a physician, supplementing with curcumin can offer a person with hepatitis great benefit. Ranging from its ability to improve cholesterol ratios, promise as an immune modulator and demonstration as a liver protector, curcumin is emerging as an ideal herbal supplement for a person living with hepatitis.

References:
https://www.hepatitiscentral.com/news/how-does-turmeric-impact-hepatitis/