Is it true that Curcumin in Temulawak Can Prevent COVID-19?
Read all the news articles about the coronavirus (COVID-19) here.
Recently, news has circulated that the curcumin content in spices such as turmeric, ginger, ginger and lemongrass can help prevent COVID-19. The news originated from a research conducted by a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Airlangga University, Chaerul Anwar Nidom. So, what is the truth like?
Is it true that curcumin has prevented the COVID-19 virus?
No studies have yet conducted the effects of curcumin on the COVID-19 virus. When news of the efficacy of curcumin to help prevent the corona virus circulating, Nidom explained that the research he was doing took place before the emergence of COVID-19.
However, this does not rule out that curcumin could help prevent the COVID-19 virus. The reason is, these substances can indeed ward off cytokine storms that often occur in people who are infected with a virus. Cytokine storm is a severe immune reaction in which the body releases cytokines too quickly and in large quantities into the blood.
In a 2014 study, curcumin can suppress excess cytokines such as IL-6 and IL-10, which can trigger inflammation. Cytokine suppression has also been closely associated with clinical improvement in cases of severe viral infection.
Another advantage, this substance is also classified as very safe for consumption even at high doses. Curcumin has also been widely used in daily food ingredients, especially in Indonesia. The range of antiviral activity is also wide enough to make this ingredient a good alternative treatment option.
However, further research is needed to decide whether curcumin can really be used as a clinical drug. Its low molecular solubility and fast metabolism hinder its use so that it does not produce any curative effects.
In addition, studies that have focused on their effects for infectious diseases in humans have not been conducted. Currently, the consumption of curcumin from ginger is only considered as one step in increasing the body’s immunity which might be useful for preventing COVID-19 infection.
The benefits of curcumin are good for health
Curcumin is a component of three types of curcuminoids which can be found in spices such as ginger, ginger, and turmeric. This substance acts as the main bioactive substance which provides physiological effects in the form of a yellow pigment in turmeric.
Spices that contain this substance are widely grown in Southeast Asia and South Asia. In Europe, the curcumin content in turmeric is often used as a natural dye for fabrics and other clothing products. Meanwhile, in Asia it is used more for food ingredients such as traditional dishes or cakes.
Not only for daily use, curcumin also has various health benefits. It is proven that many herbal medicines use plants that contain these substances because they are believed to help prevent and treat various diseases.
Much research has been done on its properties in cancer treatment. It was found that curcumin can promote cancer cell death and inhibit the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.
Another study showed a 40% reduction in cancer-risky lesions in the colon in patients who consumed 4 grams of curcumin per day.
Curcumin can also increase hormone levels in the brain by increasing the growth of new neurons which will help prevent degenerative brain processes such as Alzheimer’s. In addition, curcumin can improve the work of the brain so that it is better at storing memory.
Temulawak to help prevent the spread of the virus
The content of curcumin in ginger has become the object of much interest in research over the past few years because of its potential to inhibit the spread of viruses. This substance is considered to be a good anti-inflammatory agent. There is a lot of evidence showing its effect on preventing the transformation of tumors into cancer and fighting inflammatory cytokines.
With the news about the potential for curcumin in ginger to prevent the corona virus in the midst of the outbreak of COVID-19, many have returned to question and find out more about what effects would be given from regular curcumin consumption.
As is well known, the outbreaks that are currently occurring in several of these countries are diseases with a very high transmission rate. Please note, these infectious diseases are usually caused by pathogenic viruses and microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi.
When it has spread to many people, this will result in an epidemic like what happened when the SARS disease appeared.
In fact, the antiviral component is not only found in curcumin. This component is also found in other ingredients such as green tea and cinnamon. The antiviral activity of curcumin has been seen in hepatitis viruses, arboviruses such as Zika (ZIKV) and chikungunya, as well as viruses that cause influenza.
One of them is the potential as an alternative treatment for bird flu. The bird flu virus is included in the class A influenza virus which is found in poultry and can cause severe pandemics.
At that time, treatment was carried out using M2 inhibitors (amantadine, rimantadine) and neuraminidase inhibitors. However, due to the increase in drug-resistant viruses, the use of M2 inhibitors has become ineffective and is no longer recommended.
With that, several studies have also tested the effects of curcumin as an alternative treatment in vitro (test in beaker). As a result, this substance can actually inhibit virus absorption, replication and particle production by removing molecules that block the binding process of the virus to the host cell.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Viral Curcumin Can Avoid Corona Virus, This Researcher Said. Tempo.co. (2020). Retrieved 18 February 2021, from https://tekno.tempo.co/amp/1307643/viral-curcumin-bisa-tangkal-virus-corona-ini-kata-penelitinya?__twitter_impression=true
Dr. Ananya Mandal, M. (2020). What is Curcumin? Retrieved 18 February 2021, from https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Curcumin.aspx
10 Proven Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin. (2020). Retrieved 18 February 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-turmeric#section2
Praditya, D., Kirchhoff, L., Brüning, J., Rachmawati, H., Steinmann, J., & Steinmann, E. (2019). Anti-infective Properties of the Golden Spice Curcumin. Frontiers in microbiology, 10, 912. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00912
