Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae) rhizome (turmeric) is widely used in folk medicine of the Indian subcontinent for inflamed joints. The objective of the present study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of turmeric when administered topically in gel form to carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. Gels contained polyethylene glycol-6000, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and isopropyl alcohol without and with turmeric powder or diclofenac. The right hind paw of all rats were pre-treated twice daily for 2 days with gel without (Group 1) or containing turmeric powder at 3.33, 10 and 33.3% w/v (Groups 2, 3 and 4, respectively). Group 5 rats were pre-treated with gel containing the standard anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac (1% w/v). Edema was induced on Day 3 by injecting 0.1ml of 1% carageenan solution (in normal saline) into the plantar surface of the right hind paw of each rat. Increase in paw volume was monitored up to 5 hours after injection. Significance levels of the results were calculated using Student's t-test and date were considered statistically significant when P<0.05. Pre-treatment with turmeric-containing gel produced a significant and dose-dependent inhibition of rat paw edema. Compared to controls, at the highest dose (33.3% turmeric), edema was inhibited by 53.4±2.6, 40.0±3.3, 36.3±2.8, 33.5±3.7 and 31.4±3.4%, respectively, at the first, second, third, fourth and fifth hour following carrageenan injection. These results compare favorably with diclofenac, where the respective inhibitions were 35.5±3.4, 36.5±3.3, 33.5±3.7, 29.5±3.0 and 24.5±4.0%. Even at the lowest dose (3.33%), turmeric inhibited paw edema by 27.4% at the first hour following carrageenan injection. The results validate the folk medicinal use of turmeric as an anti-inflammatory agent.