Therapeutic qualities of turmeric

Subject – Science and Tech

Context – Therapeutic qualities of turmeric are being probed for many ailments, most recent being cytokine storm caused by COVID-19

Concept –

Turmeric exert anti-inflammatory effects by regulating crucial molecular targets for inflammation.
They are cheap and relatively safe to consume and their anti-inflammatory property can be exploited to combat the cytokine storm in covid-19 patients.
The reason curcumin, and by association turmeric, has not been used as an allopathic drug is because the substance’s poor bioavailability (duration of its presence in the blood).
- Low curcumin bioavailability can be addressed by using higher concentrations of curcumin in nontoxic limits.
- Moreover, curcumin, in combination with other compounds or as formulations, has shown enhanced bioavailability.
- Nanotechnology can also be used to increase the bioavailability of curcumin.
Such nanocurcumin-based combinatorial therapy against tuberculosis, breast cancer and Plasmodium falciparum malaria have also been initiated in India under the Turmeric Mission launched in 2020.

To know more about Turmeric, please refer to August month DPN.