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Experiments conducted at IISc pointed out that Salmonella bacteria that causes typhoid and other food-borne diseases, grew three times faster when exposed to 'curcumin', the main molecular component of turmeric.
"Our data is the first of its kind which suggests that curcumin can increase the pathogenicity of Salmonella by making it more robust. Hence, especially during Salmonella infections, the consumption of curcumin should be avoided," PhD scholar Sandhya Marathe and Dipshikha Chakravortty, Associate Professor, Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology at IISc, said.
The findings were carried in the latest edition of 'PloS ONE', a scientific journal published by US Public Library of
Science.
Turmeric is an indispensable spice of the Indian and Asian kitchens, "but the latest experimental data urges us to rethink the indiscriminate use of curcumin especially during Salmonella outbreaks, although curcumin is known for its action against several diseases including cancer, hypertension and Alzheimer's, and is even sold as tablets over the counter as a panacea for all," Chakravortty said.
The scientists hypothesised that the high intake of curcumin could be one of the reasons for the widespread Salmonella infections in Asian countries, where typhoid kills close to five lakh people every year.
In certain Asian communities, each person consumes an average of 1.5 gm of turmeric a day (corresponding to 0.03-0.12 gm of curcumin), the study said.
"Curcumin activates certain genes in Salmonella, making it more robust and increasing its resistance to its host's defences such as anti-microbial peptides," it said.
According to Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence of Salmonella infection is more in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Also, the prevalence of typhoid is highest in Asia. Of 2,16,000 deaths due to typhoid in the year 2000, more than 90 per cent of morbidity and mortality cases took place in the region.
Last year, Chakravortty had demonstrated the Salmonella bacteria's 'stealthy' modus operandi to colonise its host's cells, dodge and finally paralyse the immune system.
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Scientists should know that since time immemorial turmeric is known to have medicinal values. It should be tested keeping in view this fact in mind. It would be worthwhile studying our ancestral systems be fore forming any opinion. Will the scientists show some respect to our ancestral values and then publish their 'findings'?
I believe these are some of the dirty games played by corporations to get their products and commodities moving. If turmeric had been poised this negative, does that mean our age old medicines are in question? What i have to say is that, never believe in these claims made by these completely biased reports.
Whenever there is a scientific discovery against age old beliefs, some people will start a lot of hue & cry%u2026example, Galileo claiming that earth rotates round the sun. It should be noted that logical, scientific observation may make long believed facts to be wrong. ..like, the claim that earth is flat!
Your caption reads "Tumeric harms!". "Turmeric is an indispensable spice of the Indian kitchens, which according to scientists should be avoided." I wish your caption writers read and understand the articles before they write the caption. The article says that consumption of curcumin (the main molecular component of turmeric) should be avoided during Salmonella infections.