CURCUMIN, the chemical that gives turmeric its distinctive yellow colour, might help treat malaria, mouse studies suggest. It has already been shown to combat certain bacteria and reduce the risk of cancer and liver damage.
Now Govindarajan Padmanaban at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and his team have shown that the spice protects mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. Five daily doses given orally to the mice reduced the number of parasites in their blood by over 80 per cent. Nearly a third of the mice were still alive after 20 days, whereas animals not given curcumin hadall…
