Spicing Up Uveitis Treatment
Can a common cooking ingredient help treat ocular inflammation?
Researchers at Texas A&M University in the USA have used turmeric – specifically, its principal compound, curcumin – to develop a therapeutic that decreased ocular inflammation in dogs suffering from uveitis.
Their novel formulation of curcumin has been shown to successfully bypass intestinal and ocular barriers, resulting in improved absorption of the medication. Current uveitis treatments have multiple unwanted side effects, including stomach ulcers, effects on kidney and liver function, and increasing diabetic patients’ glucose levels. Curcumin, in contrast, has no known side effects. According to Erin Scott, Assistant Professor at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, the new therapeutic has great potential for treating uveitis in humans.
- R Ganugula et al., Science Advances 6, 35 (2020).
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