{
  "abstract": "Background Turmeric ( Curcuma longa) has long been used as a traditional digestive remedy. While most biomedical studies focus on purified curcuminoids as anti-inflammatory agents, turmeric as a whole herb contains additional phytochemicals, including volatile oils, that may influence gastrointestinal physiology and gut microbiota. A recent randomized controlled trial demonstrated that curcumin improved symptoms of functional dyspepsia with efficacy comparable to proton pump inhibitors, although the biological mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to characterize the phytochemical network of turmeric and identify molecular pathways potentially relevant to gastrointestinal function and dyspepsia.Methods Turmeric phytochemicals were compiled from databases and literature sources. Network pharmacology approaches were used to identify compound-target interactions and construct protein–protein interaction networks. Functional enrichment analyses were performed using Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway databases. Transcriptomic datasets from experimental models exposed to dietary curcumin were analyzed using weighted gene co-expression network analysis and gene set enrichment analysis.Results A total of 124 turmeric-derived compounds corresponding to 657 predicted molecular targets were identified. Enrichment analyses revealed pathways related to inflammatory signaling, GPCR signaling, calcium signaling, and synaptic signaling, suggesting involvement of gut–brain axis mechanisms. Transcriptomic analysis of 17,892 genes identified 1,032 genes with significant variation, organized into 11 co-expression modules associated with curcumin exposure. Enriched pathways included sulfur metabolism, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and cytochrome P450 metabolism. Curcumin exposure was also associated with suppression of inflammatory pathways including TNF, NF-κB, and IL-17 signaling, with significant downregulation of the NF-κB pathway (NES = −2.34, FDR < 0.001).Conclusions Turmeric demonstrates a complex multi-target molecular profile affecting inflammatory, metabolic, and gut–brain signaling pathways relevant to gastrointestinal physiology. These findings provide mechanistic insights that may help explain the clinical benefits of turmeric-derived compounds in functional dyspepsia and support further investigation of turmeric as a microbiome-modulating dietary intervention in digestive disorders.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Center of Excellence in Preventive and Integrative Medicine (CE-PIM), Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand"
      ],
      "name": "Krit Pongpirul"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China"
      ],
      "name": "Jian Chen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand"
      ],
      "name": "Kamonwan Banchuen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Center of Excellence in Immunology and Immune-mediated Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand"
      ],
      "name": "May Soe Thu"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Center of Excellence in Preventive and Integrative Medicine (CE-PIM), Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand"
      ],
      "name": "Thunnicha Ondee"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand"
      ],
      "name": "Pradermchai Kongkam"
    }
  ],
  "title": "IDDF2026-ABS-0234 Systems analysis of turmeric phytochemicals reveals gut-brain and inflammatory pathways relevant to functional dyspepsia",
  "uid": "b6111c22-e8f1-5659-a01c-d485611d36b4"
}