Researchers conducted experiments using curcumin and cells of the immune system such as macrophages and CD4+ cells. These cells, particularly macrophages, play an important role in helping the immune system recognize and fight many of the infections seen in AIDS. Some of the experiments also used mice.
Exposing macrophages to tiny doses of curcumin blocked their ability to produce IL-12 in response to simulated attack by microbes. IL-12 helps CD4+, CD8+ and natural killer cells by stimulating their production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). IFN-gamma is a cytokine that helps these cells fight viruses, certain bacteria and fungi. Without the stimulus of IL-12, the immune system would not be able to protect the body from these microbes.
Curcumin-treated macrophages caused CD4+ cells to produce increased amounts of IL-4. This cytokine weakens cellular immunity, which is the immune response needed to fight tuberculosis, cytomegalovirus, HIV and many other microbes. CD4+ cells that encountered curcumin-treated macrophages were also not able to produce much IFN-gamma.
Since curcumin is poorly absorbed from the intestine, technicians injected mice with a small amount of curcumin (500 micrograms). Again, CD4+ cells and macrophages taken from these mice were unable to produce much IL-12 and IFN-gamma.
This research team, as well as others, think that curcumin's ability to weaken cellular immunity may be useful in treating disorders in which the immune system attacks the body. Example of such conditions include
When considered together, the results from this and other studies suggest that curcumin is not likely to help the immune systems of people with HIV/AIDS.
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2. Haskó G and Szabó C. IL-12 as a therapeutic target for pharmacologic modulation in immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases: regulation of T helper 1/T helper 2 responses. British Journal of Pharmacology 1999;127:1295-1304.
3. Imami N, Antonopoulos C, Hardy GAD, et al. Assessment of Type 1 and Type 2 cytokines in HIV Type-1-infected individuals: impact of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy. AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses 1999;15(17):1499-1508.
4. Robert C and Kupper TS. Inflammatory skin diseases, T cells, and immune surveillance. New England Journal of Medicine 1999;341(24):1817-1828.
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