In the midst of COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus, it can be very frightening to think about how powerless we are in the face of this virus.
It is very challenging to find a pharmaceutical medicine for this virus (or any virus). However, curcumin has powerful antiviral properties that can protect us against many viruses and may be found helpful in the fight against COVID-19.
Why is it challenging to develop antiviral pharmaceutical medicine?
Viruses acts as parasites to our bodies – they have to use the mechanisms of our own cells to reproduce. Viruses function inside our own cells so any chemical that attacks them has to get inside our own cells as well and the challenge is to find chemical that kills the virus but not the cell.
As a comparison, bacteria is easier to treat and find medicine for because bacteria are independent cells living outside of our our cells. Antibiotics can be found that are toxic to the bacteria but not to our own cells.
On a more optimistic note though, curcumin, a compound of turmeric, was proven to be an effective virus inhibitor for many viruses.
Curcumin acts against many different important human viruses
Curcumin, has been studied extensively for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-tumor activity. Accumulated evidence indicates that curcumin plays an inhibitory role against viruses infection.
A 2019 review summarizes numeric studies that have been conducted to investigate the antiviral potential of curcumin. Curcumin’s anti-viral activity was observed by researchers for different viruses and has shown promise in fighting devastating viruses.
Curcumin was shown to inhibit many different kinds of human viruses. Here is a list of some of the viruses that curcumin was shown to inhibit:
- Influenza virus
- Hepatitis C virus
- HIV virus
- Herpes simplex virus (HSV-2)
- Human papilloma virus (HPV)
- Zika virus (ZIKV)
- Chikungunya virus (CHIKV)
The antiviral activity of curcumin
Curcumin was shown by several researches to interfere in the invasion process of viruses to healthy cells.
Curcumin also inhibits the virus replication by directly interfering with the viral replication machinery or suppressing of cellular signaling pathways essential for the viral replication such as NF-κB.
A 2017 research explored the infection-fighting properties of turmeric, in particular its key component, curcumin, against Zika and chikungunya viruses and found that:
- Curcumin inhibits Zika and chikungunya virus replication in human cells
- Curcumin acts at an early step in virus infection
- Virus incubated with curcumin loses infectivity
- Curcumin interferes with virus-cell binding
Researchers from Mason’s National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases found that curcumin shows promise in fighting devastating viruses.
Aarthi Narayanan, Research Assistant Professor at the National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases at George Mason University and the lead investigator on this research said: “Curcumin is, by its very nature, broad-spectrum. However, in our research we provide evidence that curcumin may interfere with how the virus manipulates the human cell to stop the cell from responding to the infection.”
The investigators were very excited about this work, as curcumin not only was shown to inhibit the virus replication in cell culture but also demonstrated efficacy against the virus in a mouse model.
The ability of curcumin to prevent viral replication strongly suggests that this molecule and its derivatives may hold promise for the development of broad-range antivirals.
Narayanan believes that ultimately curcumin would be part of drug therapies that help defeat viruses.
How can I get high quality curcumin?
Curcumall® is an all-natural liquid herbal supplement of turmeric extract, curcumin and ginger extract. It was developed over the course of seven years by scientists in the health and medical research fields to harness the health-giving properties of curcumin without the problem of stomach upset and with improved absorption.
Typically, curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream through the digestive tract. Curcumall® is more readily absorbed than most available curcumin products due to its extraction process and liquid form. This technologically advanced formula delivers more curcumin to the blood while optimizing its efficacy.
For those who are looking for a preventive measure, we recommend daily intake of Curcumall® : a teaspoon in a glass of water first thing in the morning.
Curcumall® has no side effects. You can even use it in cooking. Check out our recipes here for an easy way to incorporate curcumin into your menu.
Daily intake of Curcumall may prove to be effective in protecting us from the novel coronavirus. Read this article to find more reasons why.
