Therapeutic effects of curcumin on upper gastrointestinal diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies

TL;DR

Curcumin shows therapeutic benefits for upper gastrointestinal diseases in animal studies, but more human research is needed.

Contribution

First systematic review and meta-analysis of curcumin's effects on upper gastrointestinal diseases in animal models.

Findings

Curcumin significantly reduced acid output and ulcer index in animals.

It improved oxidative stress, inflammation, and gastric emptying in animal models.

High heterogeneity and unclear risk of bias in most studies were observed.

Abstract

Curcumin, the main bioactive compound in Curcuma longa L., has long been traditionally used for the treatment of upper gastrointestinal diseases. Preclinical studies have provided substantial evidence supporting its potential therapeutic effects. However, a systematic synthesis of these findings is lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of curcumin on upper gastrointestinal outcomes in animals through systematic review and meta-analysis.

Studies were retrieved from three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Embase) and through a hand search in Google Scholar, covering the period from inception to 2024. Animal studies comparing curcumin with control were selected and analyzed using RStudio version 2024.12.0. A random-effects model was applied to estimate the main effect sizes. The risk of bias was assessed using the SYRCLE’s tool. Subgroup analysis, meta-regression, and qualitative synthesis were also performed.

A total of 49 studies were included in the analysis. The results indicated that curcumin significantly improved various outcomes, such as acid output (SMD = -1.47; 95% CI: -2.03–-0.92; p < 0.0001) and ulcer index (SMD = -2.19; 95% CI: -2.64–-1.73; p < 0.0001) in animals. It also improved oxidative stress, inflammatory markers, blood glucose level, and gastric emptying rate. However, the analyses revealed substantial heterogeneity, and the risk of bias was unclear in most studies, with five studies assessed as having a high risk of bias.

Curcumin exhibits beneficial effects on various upper gastrointestinal disorders in animal models, including gastric ulcers, diabetic gastroparesis, esophageal diseases, Helicobacter pylori infection, and gastritis. These findings underscore curcumin’s therapeutic potential and highlight the need for clinical investigations to validate its translational applicability in humans.

Registration with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (registration number: CRD42024603162).

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12906-025-05175-4.

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