A naturally occurring compound found in a spice might be just as effective as omeprazole at reducing excess stomach acid, according to the first study of its kind.

A study has suggested that turmeric might be as effective as medication for treating indigestion.

A first-of-its-kind study published in the BMJ journal Evidence-Based Medicine (Volume 28-6), found a natural compound in this popular culinary ingredient may be as effective as omeprazole, a medication that reduces excess stomach acid and alleviates indigestion.

Turmeric, a plant belonging to the ginger family, contains an active compound called curcumin, believed to possess anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. For centuries, it has been consumed in Southeast Asia as a treatment for a range of common ailments, including acne and indigestion.

However, up to this point it has been unclear how turmeric measures up against conventional indigestion medications, largely owing to a lack of comparative studies.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial between 2019-2021, researchers enrolled 206 patients aged 18 to 70 with recurrent upset stomach. Participants were recruited from hospitals in Thailand and were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups for a duration of 28 days. Of the 206 trialists, 151 completed the study.

The treatment groups consisted of: turmeric (two large 250 mg curcumin capsules taken four times a day along with one small placebo capsule); omeprazole (one small 20 mg capsule daily and two large placebo capsules taken four times a day); and a combination of both turmeric and omeprazole.

Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) frequently used to treat dyspepsia (indigestion). Most people encounter this condition at some stage in their lives, and it usually does not signal anything more serious, making self-treatment possible.

However, researchers noted that long-term use of PPIs has been linked to a higher risk of fractures, micronutrient deficiencies, and an increased susceptibility to infections.

At the beginning of the trial, patients in all three groups exhibited similar clinical characteristics and indigestion scores, evaluated using the severity of dyspepsia assessment score (Soda). They were reassessed after 28 days and again after 56 days.

The researchers found that oral curcumin was safe and well tolerated, with all three groups showing comparable improvements in symptoms. Despite no distinct differences between the efficacy of turmeric and omeprazole being identified by the tests, researchers were optimistic that more accurate results will come with longer term studies.

A spokesperson said: “This multi-center randomized controlled trial provides highly reliable evidence for the treatment of functional dyspepsia.

“The new findings from our study may support the consideration of curcumin in clinical practice.”