Published Paper Details:

Background: Curcuma longa (turmeric) is considered to be famous for its anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and immunomodulatory traits. One of the consequences chemotherapy patients face is weakened immune response that leads to increased infection risk and deterioration of treatment effectiveness. Aim: The study is intended to identify the antiviral and immunomodulatory activities of Curcuma longa and curcumin as adjuncts to chemotherapy. Methodology: A study both in vitro and in vivo was performed on 40 human volunteers and 60 BALB/c mice. Apart from just measuring the viral load, PD-1/PD-L1 expression, and cytokine profiles, hematological parameters were also registered on the treatment with curcumin extract only and together with chemotherapy. Results: The presence of Curcuma longa was documented to mitigate cancer-related immunodeficiency, bring cytokine profiles back to normal, repress PD-1/PD-L1 expression, and display a strong decrease in viral load, even to 98% reduction. Conclusion: Curcuma longa not only activates the immune system but also protects against the virus thus making it a worthy supplementary means of cancer therapy.