The Middle East is known as the cradle of civilization. It was the crossroads of ancient empires and the birthplace of major world religions. Today it is the center of many world issues due to its economic, religious and political importance. Although it has lagged behind many other regions of the world in medicinal research, this has increased dramatically in recent years with increasing numbers of relevant publications and the country of Iran has spearheaded this progress. Much of the research has focused on increasing our understanding of the aging process and attempting to identify biomarkers and natural products to improve the human healthspan. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the research conducted in the Middle East on the health benefits of curcumin, a phytochemical derived from the famous spice turmeric. Hundreds of studies have now been published describing the health benefits of this spice. The importance of this research is exemplified by poor data regarding health and longevity as only 0.08% of the population in Iran consists of individuals over 90 years of age. This is approximately 10 times lower than the percentage of this same age group in the United Kingdom and the United States of America and almost 20 times lower than that in Japan.

This book presents a series of reviews and meta-studies describing research which has resulted in identification potential new biomarkers and drug targets for age-related disorders. All of the studies have focussed on the testing of curcumin and related products, which have already shown some promising leads in age-related conditions such as heart-disease, diabetes, cognitive impairment and cancer. The authors in this series come from different centers and cities of Iran, including Mashhad, Tehran, Isfahan, Ahvaz, Birjand, Quchan and Yazd, and many of the chapters feature collaborations with other countries of the Middle East and throughout the world, including Brazil, Italy, Mexico, Oman, Poland, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. This underscores the emergence of the Middle East into this arena of research.

The book will be of high interest to scientific and clinical researchers in the subject of aging and age-related disease, and to physicians and pharmaceutical company scientists since it gives insights into the latest strategies, biomarkers and targets involved in the mechanism of action of curcumin to promote healthy aging. It will also provide important information on disease mechanisms related to age-related disorders, as each chapter will be presented in the context of specific chronic diseases.

Emphasizes the emerging role of the Middle East in the area of age-related diseases Describes the identification of biomarkers and new drug targets in age-related diseases Emphasizes the potential values of natural products such as turmeric and curcumin in diverse medical fields Details studies and research underway on age-related disorders and diseases in the Middle East and worldwide

Autorentext
Dr. Paul C. Guest, Ph.D, is a scientific researcher/writer with 37years of experience in the fields of metabolic and neurological disorders. This includes experience in both academia and the pharmaceutical industry with the majority of time spent at the University of Cambridge and Merck Sharp & Dohme in the United Kingdom. He has also been affiliated with the University of Campinas in Sao Paulo Brazil since 2015, still focused on advancing the field of biomarkers for neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease, and more recently in the area of anti-aging research.

Inhalt

Research in the Middle East into the Health Benefits of Curcumin.- Turmeric and Curcumin: From Traditional to Modern Medicine.- Targeting Nuclear Factor-kappa B signaling pathway by curcumin: implications for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.- Carbon-based Nanomaterials and Curcumin: a Review of Biosensing Applications.- Effects of Curcumin and its Analogues on Bacterial and Parasitic Infectious Diseases.- Protective Effects of Curcumin on Endothelium: an Updated Review.- The Effect of Curcumin Supplementation on Anthropometric Indices in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.- Effect of Curcumin on Glycemic Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials.- Anti-diabetic Properties of Curcumin: Insights on New Mechanisms.- The effect of Curcumin in improving Lipid Profile in Patients with Cardiovascular Risk Factors: a Systematic Review of Clinical Trials.- The effects of curcumin in the treatment of gingivitis: A systematic review of clinical trials.- Does Curcumin have an Anti-caries Effect? A Systematic Review of In vitro Studies.- The clinical use of curcumin for the treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis: A systematic review of clinical trials.- Antibacterial Activity of Curcumin against Periodontal Pathogens: A Systematic Review.- The Clinical use of Curcumin for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials.- A Systematic Review of the Clinical use of Curcumin for Treatment of Osteoarthritis.- Effects of Curcumin on Depression and Anxiety: A Narrative Review of the Recent Clinical Data.- A Systematic Review of the Clinical use of Curcumin for Management of Gastrointestinal Diseases.- The use of Curcumin for the Treatment of Renal Disorders: a Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.- Curcumin for the Treatment of Prostate Diseases: a Systematic Review of Controlled Clinical Trials.- Curcumin: a Review of its Effects on Epilepsy.- Index.